The much-anticipated July National Charter-2025 has been distributed to political parties across Bangladesh, the National Consensus Commission announced on Tuesday night. The 40-page charter was also officially published the same day.

The document traces the nation’s political evolution — from the British colonial period to the Language Movement of 1952, the education and autonomy movements of the 1960s, and the mass uprising of 1969. It also reflects on the 1970 general elections, the Liberation War of 1971, and the formation of a one-party state in 1975.

The charter states that democracy was restored through the 1979 parliamentary elections, following the reintroduction of a multi-party system in 1978, but notes that the democratic path was “short-lived.”

Highlighting more recent years, the document accuses the period between 2009 and 2024 of being marked by “autocratic practices” that favored certain individuals and groups. It criticizes the controversial elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024, claiming they eroded electoral integrity, politicized institutions, and fueled corruption.

The charter also honors citizen-led democratic movements, including the 2018 road safety protests, the anti-quota and anti-discrimination student movements, and the July 2024 mass uprising against fascism.

Concluding with a seven-point commitment, the charter calls on all political parties to sign and uphold the people’s will expressed in the July 2024 uprising, reaffirming democratic values and national unity.

MN/