The government has asked political parties to reach a compromise within seven days on the implementation of the July Charter and the schedule of the referendum, which will end on Monday. As of Friday, there was no evidence of a compromise.

BNP discussed the matter at the Standing Committee meeting. According to party sources, BNP will sit for talks only if the government takes the initiative. The meeting also criticised the government’s role and decision-making process.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s call at the party’s highest policy-making forum has been termed as “not the right approach”. The BNP said it would not respond to Jamaat-e-Islami’s direct call.

Negotiation Process and the Government’s Role

The political parties’ position on the preservation of the Note of Desent in the July Charter is not clear. The NCP has been flexible about the timing of the referendum but has stipulated that the note of dissent should not be kept. Two advisers to the government said they were in regular contact with the parties, but none of them were willing to make concessions.

The adviser said the parties are moving forward with the goal of holding elections in February. It is important for the parties to accept the government’s decision. If no agreement is reached by Monday, the government may renegotiate with the party before taking a final step.

At the last meeting of the advisory council, most advisers voted in favour of holding elections and referendums on the same day. However, some advisers warned that holding a referendum on the same day could pose risks to reforms. The government gave a week to discuss with the parties in that context.

Although Jamaat-e-Islami called for talks through a press conference, there was no progress in direct communication between the BNP and Jamaat. The NCP, AB Party, Ganadhikar Parishad and the six-party alliance Ganatantra Mancha also took the initiative for the talks. However, it did not succeed as the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami stood firm.

Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP fear that if BNP comes to power, they will form a caretaker government in their own way. That’s why BNP has proposed to preserve the Note of Dissent.

The NCP said the final decision on the note of descent will be taken in a referendum.

BNP’s position

The BNP sees Jamaat’s direct call as ‘not the right approach’. The party feels that it was the government and the consensus commission that disrupted the negotiation process. The promise of preserving the Note of Decent in the charter has not been fulfilled. As a result, the BNP considers the government’s call a joke.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting. The meeting discussed Jamaat-e-Islami’s telephone and 9 party initiatives. The leaders said Jamaat-e-Islami cannot invite BNP on any state issue. Communication can only take place if it is a matter of personal or between two parties.

Not a program in the field

BNP will not hold a counter-programme to the rally of eight parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, in Dhaka on November 11. The party thinks that such a situation should not be created before the election. However, if necessary, programs may be taken to demonstrate capacity in the field.

At the meeting, the standing committee leaders decided that if the government calls, the BNP will discuss and present the party’s position strongly. Besides ensuring the legal process of implementing the July Charter, including the Note of Dissent, it will maintain good relations with the government.

The meeting was attended by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury. AZM Zahid Hossain was present at the meeting.