The National Consensus Commission has begun discussions with representatives from two political parties, Khelafat Majlis and the Labor Party.
The meeting started on Saturday morning (March 22) at the LD Hall of the Parliament House. Present at the discussion were the Vice President of the National Consensus Commission, Ali Riaz, along with other commission officials. However, the names of the political leaders attending the meeting have not yet been confirmed.
Previous Consultations
On Thursday, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was the first to engage in discussions with the commission.
A six-member delegation led by LDP President, retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, attended the meeting. The party stated that it agreed with 120 out of 166 reform recommendations proposed by the National Consensus Commission while disagreeing with 42.
Formation of the National Consensus Commission
The National Consensus Commission was established to develop a national agreement on reforms, under the leadership of Interim Government Chief Adviser, Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus. The commission officially began its work on February 15, 2025.
Reform Initiatives and Party Responses
As part of the reform process, reports from six key commissions were released in February, focusing on:
- Constitutional Reform
- Public Administration Reform
- Electoral System Reform
- Judiciary Reform
- Anti-Corruption Reform
Political parties were asked to submit their official positions on these recommendations by March 13. Several parties have already provided feedback, while the BNP has requested an additional week to finalize its response.
Context of the Interim Government
Following a student-led uprising, the Awami League government was removed from power on August 5, 2024. In response, the interim government initiated a democratic transition, establishing 11 reform commissions in two phases to implement critical state reforms. Reports from the first phase’s six commissions were made public in February 2025.
