National Consensus Commission Vice-Chair Professor Ali Riaz announced that political parties have reached broad agreement on reinstating the caretaker government system and redrawing parliamentary constituencies. Speaking after the eighth day of second-phase discussions at Dhaka’s Foreign Service Academy, he said significant progress had been made, especially on redistricting.
Parties agreed to amend the constitution to mandate redefining constituencies within 10 years of each national census by adding provisions to Article 119 and forming a dedicated committee through legislation with a clear legal mandate. For the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, a specialized expert committee under the Election Commission is proposed to oversee immediate redistricting.
On the caretaker government system, all parties supported its reintroduction, discussing its structure, tenure, and the appointment process for the chief adviser. While the Constitutional Reform Commission recommended a 90-day tenure and the Election Commission proposed 120 days, these timelines were reviewed in detail.
Riaz described the talks as positive, expressing optimism that a “July Charter” reflecting the political consensus could be finalized within the month. The caretaker issue has long been a major demand of opposition parties to ensure free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
