BNP not against reforms: Nazrul Islam Khan

BNP on Thursday told the Consensus Commission that the party is not against reforms but wants to utilise the opportunity that has been created for reforms.

“We have another opportunity before us, and we want to seize it. We are cooperating with this commission and this government with that expectation (in mind),” he said BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan.

The BNP leader made the remarks at his opening speech at the talks with the National Consensus Commission at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The Consensus Commission is holding talks as part of the series of dialogues with political parties to reach a national consensus over the state reform initiatives taken by the interim government.

A BNP delegation joined the talks that started at 10:35am with Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz in the chair.

Pointing at the BNP's 31-point reform agenda Nazrul Islam Khan said even if there would be no reform charter by the National Consensus Commission, BNP has its own charter and that is the charter for reform.

“So, we are in favour of it (reform). We would like to say only one thing that the people are at the root of everything. Everything should be done with the consent of the people. And we know through whom the people give their consent,” he said.

Focusing on different reform programmes and initiatives taken by BNP and the past BNP governments, Nazrul Islam said they told the Chief Adviser on Wednesday that no political party in Bangladesh has carried out more reforms than BNP. “So, BNP is not against reform — it is a reform-oriented party,” he said.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed was among the members of the BNP delegation.

Earlier in the day, a BNP delegation, led by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and expressed its dissatisfaction about the outcomes of the meeting as the Chief Adviser did not give them any specific deadline for the election.

On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. The commission has already held talks with 11 political parties.

The National Consensus Commission, formed under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms. Since its inception on February 15, 2025, the commission has been working to finalise recommendations for the state reform proposals.

In the initial phase, key recommendations from five reform commissions — covering constitutional, public administration, electoral system, judiciary, and anti-corruption reforms — were compiled and shared with 39 political parties for their feedback. To date, 34 parties have responded.

The National Consensus Commission is working to build a national consensus over reform initiatives by mid-July next, by completing the first round of talks with political parties by the first week of May next and entering the second round of talks in the second week of May, reports UNB.