Ali Riaz departs as reform row intensifies

Amid Bangladesh’s economic difficulties and a range of other challenges, growing uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the July Charter, inherited from the interim government and centred on constitutional reform, is emerging as an additional source of concern.

The BNP-led government has described the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order as “a document of endless deception” left behind by the interim administration.

According to the government, the order is neither an ordinance nor a law and represents a failed attempt to undermine the authority of a sovereign parliament. The BNP maintains that it supports every word and sentence of the July National Charter signed in 2025, but insists that any reforms must be carried out within the framework of the Constitution and without compromising popular sovereignty.

By contrast, Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP) and their 11-party alliance have declared that they will remain on the streets until the reforms outlined in the July Charter and endorsed through the referendum are fully implemented. They have warned that any attempt to bypass the reform agenda and establish what they describe as authoritarian rule would carry political consequences for the BNP government.

In a report published on 23 April, the International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that if the BNP appeared to be retreating from meaningful reform commitments, staunch supporters of the July Charter—including Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP—could become increasingly vocal against the government both inside and outside parliament and could mobilise their supporters in protest.

The report noted that a prolonged dispute over reform could erode the BNP’s political capital, which it needs to pursue other aspects of its political and economic agenda.

Professor Ali Riaz, widely regarded as the principal architect of the July Charter implementation framework, has since returned abroad and is no longer directly involved in the political scene. Some critics argue that he and his associates bear responsibility for creating long-term controversy surrounding the charter and deepening divisions among parties aligned with the July uprising. They claim that the charter’s underlying objective was to keep Dr Muhammad Yunus in power for an extended period and prolong the tenure of the interim administration.

In a recent newspaper interview, Ali Riaz argued that a crisis could emerge if government actions on reform failed to reflect public aspirations. He urged the ruling party to act swiftly and echoed concerns highlighted in the International Crisis Group report.

Constitutional experts are sceptical that the issue can generate mass public mobilisation. Senior Supreme Court lawyer and constitutional expert Dr Shahdeen Malik said he did not believe people would take to the streets for constitutional reform in the same way they had mobilised against the Sheikh Hasina government in 2024.

He noted that the interim government was unelected and that questions remain regarding the legal validity of the July Charter produced by the National Consensus Commission. According to him, constitutional reform should be debated and carried out by elected representatives through parliament. He argued that the public’s primary concerns are inflation and employment rather than constitutional provisions and procedures.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub described the July Charter as highly controversial and accused Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP of attempting to use the issue to intensify political confrontation. He also questioned the motives behind the charter, claiming it had been designed to prolong interim rule.

The High Court has fixed 17 June for a hearing on the legality of the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025, and provisions of the Referendum Ordinance, 2025. The case follows separate writ petitions filed by Supreme Court lawyers challenging their constitutionality.

Several reform proposals contained in the July Charter have also come under scrutiny, particularly plans to reduce the powers of the prime minister, strengthen the presidency and establish an upper house of parliament.

Critics argue that increasing presidential powers could create a parallel centre of authority capable of obstructing the functioning of an elected prime minister and potentially fuelling political instability. Questions have also been raised over the rationale for an upper parliamentary chamber in a unitary state such as Bangladesh, which lacks provinces or states represented through a federal structure.

Meanwhile, the government has proposed forming a 17-member parliamentary special committee to oversee constitutional reform in line with the July Charter. The proposal allocates 12 seats to the ruling BNP and five to opposition parties. However, opposition parties, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami, have yet to nominate representatives, arguing that the process bypasses the mandate established through the referendum.

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The BNP remains hopeful that the opposition will eventually participate. Chief Whip Md Nurul Islam Moni said the Prime Minister remained committed to implementing every aspect of the July Charter and expressed optimism that the committee could begin its work soon.

Left-wing parties have also criticised the reform process. Bazlur Rashid Firoz, coordinator of the Democratic United Front and General Secretary of the Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD), argued that the National Consensus Commission created division rather than consensus among political parties. He said left-wing groups refused to sign the July Charter because they believed it distorted the history of the Liberation War, proposed removing the Constitution’s four fundamental principles and contained provisions they considered contrary to the public interest.

As political disagreement over constitutional reform intensifies, the issue is increasingly emerging as a significant challenge for the government, with potential implications for parliamentary stability, legal proceedings and broader public confidence.

Source: Kaler Kantho