Chief Adviser violates July Charter he signed

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed Thursday said Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus violated the July National Charter which he himself signed.

He said the Chief Adviser had broken the promises made in the charter that was signed at the South Plaza of the National Parliament on October 17.

He made the allegations in an immediate reaction to Professor Yunus's televised address to the nation on Thursday afternoon in which he explained how the July National Charter and reform proposals will be implemented.

He announced that the national election and referendum would be held the same day and that the new parliament would have two chambers.

The upper house, consisting of 100 members, would be formed based on the percentage of votes each political party receives.

Any amendment to the Constitution would require approval from the majority of upper-house members.

Salahuddin Ahmed said, "This proposal contradicts what was agreed upon in the National Consensus Commission."

He explains that the issue of a bicameral parliament has already been settled through a "note of dissent" in the commission and cannot be reintroduced.

He also said the newly-mentioned "Constitution Reform Council" was never discussed during the consensus talks, calling it a completely new and unauthorised idea.

Salahuddin Ahmed, who represented the BNP in the lengthy dialogue of the National Consensus Commission with political parties, said the party would issue an official statement after an emergency Standing Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday night.

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