Although the National Citizen Party (NCP) has been actively participating in discussions of the National Consensus Commission, it has yet to sign the July Charter. Party insiders say the NCP is holding informal talks at various levels and will sign the document once its legal foundation is clarified.

Speaking to four senior leaders of the party, it was learned that the commission’s tenure will continue until October 31, and the NCP is likely to ink the charter before that deadline.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, a four-member NCP delegation led by its convener Nahid Islam met with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the state guesthouse Jamuna. During the meeting, the chief adviser urged the NCP to join other political parties in signing the July Charter. The NCP delegation, in response, stressed the importance of ensuring a clear legal basis for the charter and demanded that the special constitutional order for its implementation be issued by the chief adviser instead of the president.

NCP leaders said they will make their formal decision after reviewing the commission’s recommendations and the government’s position on the legal framework and implementation process of the July Charter.

The party did not attend the July Charter signing ceremony held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament building on October 17. Earlier that morning, the NCP had outlined three conditions for joining the initiative:

1. The full text of the July Charter Implementation Order and the question for the public referendum must be published first;

2. If the public endorses the charter in the referendum, any notes of dissent will carry no legal weight;

3. Based on the referendum’s outcome, the next parliament will amend the constitution according to the powers vested in it.

Party sources said the NCP expects the government’s legal decision on the July Charter to reflect these conditions. If that happens, the party plans to sign the charter and begin election preparations before October 31.

A senior NCP leader said some candidates may be finalized early next month, though decisions on alliances or seat-sharing will take more time. The party is leaning toward contesting either independently or as part of a third bloc outside the BNP and Jamaat.

NCP’s Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib told Prothom Alo on Thursday, “The NCP has been holding informal discussions at various levels regarding the legal basis of the July Charter. Once the issue is finalized, our election activities will begin.”

Meanwhile, an NCP delegation sat with the National Consensus Commission for further discussions at 10 am today.