‘Upcoming polls must be held based on July Charter’

Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam has asserted that Bangladesh’s next general election and the formation of a new parliament must be based on the July Charter.

Speaking at an emergency press conference at NCP’s temporary central office in Dhaka’s Rupayan Tower on Saturday, Nahid stressed the need for a legal foundation for the July Charter.

“The Charter must be enacted under this interim government. The next election, parliament, and a constituent assembly must all stem from it. We won’t entrust elected MPs with reform—reforms must be guided by the Charter itself,” he said.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, is set to present the July Declaration—a policy framework shaped after the mass uprising—on 5 August at 5 PM, as confirmed earlier in a Facebook post by the press secretary to the chief adviser.

Welcoming the government’s move, Nahid said the Declaration reflects consensus among pro-uprising forces and political parties, although differences remain on some issues. “The Consensus Commission hasn’t yet clarified how it plans to resolve the disagreements or implement the unresolved clauses,” he said. “We demand a legally binding status for the Charter and its full implementation before the next election.”

Nahid also announced that NCP would formally conclude its month-long “July March” on Sunday at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, where the party will unveil its manifesto for a “New Bangladesh.”

“Our fight didn’t end with the fall of the fascist government,” he said. “The system of fascism still persists. That’s why our struggle for a new political order must continue. We’ll present our vision for that tomorrow.”

He explained that the July March campaign, which began on July 1, covered 59 districts and aimed to engage with people from all walks of life. “We met families of those killed in the uprising, injured fighters, protesting students, and ordinary citizens. Based on their voices, we’ve shaped our future plans and political blueprint.”

Regarding the upcoming manifesto, Nahid said it would include the party’s policies on youth development, economic reform, law and order, and administrative overhaul. “We’ll also review our successes and failures from the past year.”

On the content of the upcoming July Declaration, Nahid noted that the first demand for such a document was raised on 31 December last year by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. “Several political groups submitted draft versions, and the government is now consolidating them. We believe the final document must carry constitutional weight, and we expect that assurance from the government and political parties.”