Akhtar Hossain, the Member Secretary of the National Citizens' Party (NCP), has remarked that public confusion and suspicion have arisen over the July Declaration and Charter. According to him, these are two separate documents with distinct roles and legal standings.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday (July 30) following a meeting of the National Consensus Commission, he stated, “The Declaration is a historic and legally recognized document, considered the foundation for political transformation. In contrast, the Charter outlines the action plan for implementing decisions based on consensus among various political parties. However, there are now growing questions and uncertainties surrounding both documents.”
He further emphasized, “Our clear demand is that the July Declaration must be published within this month. However, if the July Charter lacks a proper legal basis, it will not be feasible to implement it. As a result, the desired reforms will come under question.”
He also alleged, “There have been multiple rounds of discussion with the government regarding the draft of the Declaration, but no final decision has been made. The NCP has submitted a revised draft, yet we will not compromise our stance.”
Akhtar Hossain expressed frustration that despite repeated requests for more time from the government, no effective measures have been taken so far.