The National Consensus Commission has published the draft of the July National Charter. The draft has already been sent to political parties. An analysis of the charter shows that it contains seven key commitments. If the political parties agree on these, the final charter may be signed.
Seven Commitments of the July Charter
The commitment section of the July Charter declares:
We, the undersigned, solemnly pledge that—
- We will ensure the full implementation of the July National Charter 2025, which reflects the aspirations of the people and has been formulated through a long, continuous process and adopted by consensus—secured through the lives, blood, immense losses, and sacrifices of countless individuals.
- To implement the proposals and recommendations included in the July National Charter 2025 regarding the system of governance, namely the Constitution, judiciary, electoral system, public administration, policing, and anti-corruption mechanisms, we pledge to undertake necessary amendments, additions, revisions, drafting, and redrafting of the Constitution, along with enacting new laws or amending existing ones, and adopting or modifying existing rules and regulations as required.
- We pledge to complete the constitutional amendments, legislative changes, and reforms required to implement the proposals and recommendations of the July National Charter 2025 within two years of the formation of the next elected government following the Charter’s adoption, and to ensure the sustainability of these reforms.
- We pledge to implement all recommendations stated in this Charter within a two-year period from the date of its adoption.
- We will ensure full legal and constitutional protection at every step of the implementation of the July National Charter 2025.
- We are firmly committed to the implementation and constitutional and legal safeguarding of the July National Charter 2025.
- We pledge to appropriately recognize the historical significance of the 2024 anti-discrimination and democratic movement and the people’s uprising in the Constitution.
Full Text of the Draft of the July National Charter 2025
Following the successful people’s uprising led by students during July–August 2024 in Bangladesh, a historic opportunity has emerged for the democratic reconstruction of the state. In this decisive moment, we, the undersigned representatives of various political parties, alliances, and forces, through mutual discussion and under the initiative of the National Consensus Commission led by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government, have reached consensus on reforming the Constitution, electoral system, judiciary, public administration, police, and anti-corruption commission
1. Background
Despite the aspirations of building a democratic state structure that emerged through the historic Liberation War of 1971, based on the principles of equality, human dignity, and social justice, this goal remains unfulfilled even after 53 years. Democratic institutions have repeatedly stumbled. Although such institutions existed in name, they functioned weakly and ineffectively.
In practice, state institutions were rendered dysfunctional and complicit in impunity through the institutionalization of partisan control to protect one-party dominance and misuse of power.
Since 2009, a partisan government gradually abandoned democratic values and evolved into an authoritarian regime—engaging in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, repression, harassment, and intimidation against political opponents and dissenters. The state machinery was repurposed into a cult of personality and loyalty.
Over one and a half decades, the authoritarian Awami League government distorted the Constitution through amendments, enacted repressive laws, destroyed the electoral process, politicized the judiciary and public administration, and looted public wealth through corruption.
Amidst this scenario, a massive anti-discrimination movement led by students in July–August 2024 culminated in a successful, unprecedented people’s uprising. Over 1,400 unarmed citizens, including women and children, were martyred and more than 20,000 injured. The tyrannical regime was ultimately defeated and fled under the force of the people’s collective resistance.
Thus, a profound desire for rebuilding the state structure has emerged among the people.
There is now a historic opportunity for constitutional reform, restructuring the electoral system, reinstating democratic practices, establishing an independent judiciary, and creating an accountable and corruption-free government based on good governance. It is our sacred duty to seize this opportunity.
2. Formation of Reform Commissions
According to Article 106 of the Constitution, based on the Supreme Court’s advisory opinion, an interim government led by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus assumed office on August 8, 2024 and began various state reform initiatives.
On October 7, 2024, the government issued a gazette forming six reform commissions:
- Constitution Reform Commission
- Electoral Reform Commission
- Judicial Reform Commission
- Public Administration Reform Commission
- Police Reform Commission
- Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission
These commissions submitted their reports with recommendations to the government by January 31, 2025.
3. Formation of the National Consensus Commission
To advance the overall reform process based on national consensus, the interim government formed the National Consensus Commission on February 12, 2025, chaired by the Chief Adviser, with the head of the Constitution Reform Commission as Vice Chair and leaders/members from the other five commissions.
The Commission’s mandate was to consult with political parties and forces, review the six reform commission reports, and recommend a path forward. The commission’s tenure was six months.
As part of its work, the commission decided to formulate a unified “July National Charter 2025” based on fundamental points of consensus.
4. Activities of the Commission
The commission officially began its activities on February 15, 2025. By February 28, all printed reports of the six commissions were sent to the political parties.
On March 5, a spreadsheet containing 166 key recommendations from five commissions (excluding police reform, which was deemed executable via administrative action) was circulated to 38 political parties and alliances for feedback.
- Constitution Reform: 70 recommendations
- Electoral Reform: 27
- Judicial Reform: 23
- Public Administration: 26
- Anti-Corruption: 27
Feedback was received from 35 parties/alliances, many of whom provided detailed comments.
From March 20 to May 19, 2025, the commission held 44 meetings with 32 political parties and alliances, some multiple times, to ensure in-depth discussions.
In the second phase, the commission narrowed its discussions to 20 priority issues for further consensus-building.
The July National Charter 2025 has been drafted based on this entire process.
5. Areas of Consensus
(To be added later: This section will include the specific points of agreement reached during both phases of dialogue.)
Pledge to Implement the July National Charter
We, the undersigned, pledge as follows:
- To fully implement the July National Charter 2025, achieved through a long process and reflecting public aspirations, built upon the sacrifices of countless martyrs and injured.
- To enact all necessary constitutional amendments, additions, modifications, and redrafting—as well as new laws, revisions to existing laws, and changes in rules and regulations—required to implement the recommendations in the Charter regarding governance, the Constitution, judiciary, electoral process, public administration, police, and anti-corruption mechanisms.
- To complete the above reforms within two years of the next elected government’s formation following the Charter’s adoption, and to ensure the sustainability of those reforms.
- To guarantee the implementation of all recommendations within a two-year timeframe from the adoption of the Charter.
- To ensure full legal and constitutional safeguards during every step of the Charter’s implementation.
- To remain steadfast in our commitment to implement and legally safeguard the July National Charter 2025.
- To recognize the historical significance of the 2024 anti-discrimination movement and democratic uprising within the Constitution.
