DHAKA — In a scene few imagined a year ago, leaders of parties that once refused to share a stage stood shoulder to shoulder at the Foreign Service Academy and endorsed the framework of the July Charter — a 12-point consensus document born from the student-led uprising.
The agreed points include a two-term limit for prime ministers, a bicameral parliament with 100 proportional seats for women and minorities, judicial appointment through an independent commission, and a constitutional pledge that 'never again shall state force be used against unarmed citizens'.
'We argued for 90 days. We shouted. But we never walked away — because the martyrs' families were watching,' said a senior commission member. Sticking points remain on the caretaker question and the fate of Article 70, to be settled in a final round next month.
Analysts call it the most significant political document since the 1991 consensus on parliamentary democracy. 'If they sign it, Bangladesh gets a new social contract. If they fail, the streets will remember,' warned political scientist Dr. Asif Nazrul.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Special Correspondent • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
