Four leftist parties refuse to sign July Charter

Four leftist political parties today announced that they will not sign the July National Charter on various grounds, including that the charter did not mention the four basic principles of the constitution.

The four parties are: Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (Basod). Bangladesh JSD, and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist).

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Another political party, Gonoforum, warned that they will not sign the charter if the telegram of the Declaration of Independence issued by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 26, 1971 in the Sixth Schedule, and the Proclamation of Independence of the Mujibnagar Government on April 10, 1971 in the Seventh Schedule of the constitution, are missing in the July Charter.

Emerging from the meeting with chief adviser this evening at the Foreign Service Academy, Gonoforum General Secretary Mizanur Rahman told The Daily Star that if July Charter is not amended by tomorrow, they will not sign it.

Bazlur Rashid Firoz, general secretary of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (Basod) told The Daily Star, "We will not sign the July Charter as the history of the Liberation War and independence was not reflected in the background of the charter."

He also said explanations of note of dissent (provided by the four leftist parties) were not mentioned in the charter.

"We objected to several provisions of the July Charter, particularly the clause barring any legal challenge to it. For that reason, we've decided not to sign," Firoz said.