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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) temporarily walked out of a dialogue session organized by the National Consensus Commission but later rejoined the discussions. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, speaking at the event, cautioned that undermining the executive branch’s authority could disrupt the balance of state governance.
The dialogue, held on Monday morning at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, was part of the second phase of discussions with political parties, marking the 20th day of the process. Salahuddin emphasized BNP’s commitment to constitutional amendments to prevent the rise of autocracy or fascism, stating that the party is extending its fullest cooperation toward this goal.
Salahuddin highlighted several proposals put forward by BNP that have been accepted. “We proposed that no one should serve as prime minister for more than 10 years, and this has been adopted. We also suggested forming an independent search committee for the Election Commission, including representatives from the government, opposition, and judiciary, which has also been accepted,” he said.
He further noted that BNP proposed reinstating the caretaker government system, with a condition that any future constitutional amendments by parliament must go to a referendum before receiving presidential approval. “This is a significant step toward ensuring political stability in the country,” Salahuddin added.
However, he expressed concerns over proposals to limit the executive branch’s powers. “The executive is accountable to both parliament and the people. But if it only has responsibilities and accountability without authority, it cannot effectively govern the state,” he said. He warned that restricting the executive’s role in appointments to constitutional and statutory institutions could create future challenges. “The executive must be strengthened to meet public expectations, not weakened,” he stressed.
BNP clarified that it is participating in the dialogue with a constructive approach but reserves the right to abstain or express dissent where fundamental disagreements arise, as this is part of democratic practice. Salahuddin remarked, “No one expects consensus on every issue. Disagreements and differences of opinion are part of the democratic struggle.”
He emphasized that genuine national consensus cannot be achieved without BNP’s participation. “Forcing consensus through a note of dissent is not the way. Consensus means moving forward together,” he said, adding that BNP would continue to participate in future rounds of dialogue and remain open to positive discussions.
**BNP’s Walkout**
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BNP opted not to participate in discussions regarding the appointment processes for the Public Service Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Ombudsman. Around 11:30 AM, when these topics were raised by the commission’s co-chair, Professor Ali Riaz, Salahuddin announced that BNP would not take part in the discussion.
Ali Riaz later stated, “BNP informed us they would not participate in this segment. We cannot decide whether discussions should halt if one party opts out.”
The dialogue saw participation from 30 political parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Gono Songhoti Andolon. The session was chaired by Ali Riaz, with Monir Haider, special assistant to the chief adviser, moderating. Commission members Badiul Alam Majumdar, Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain, Iftekharuzzaman, and Ayub Mia were also present.
