The July National Charter 2025, set to be signed on Friday at the National Parliament's South Plaza, has come under fire from political leaders and analysts for excluding key historical milestones -- most notably the 1990 mass uprising -- and sidelining many registered political parties from the consultation process.

The charter, which outlines Bangladesh's political evolution from the 1947 Partition to the July 2024 uprising, was prepared by the National Consensus Commission following dialogues with 33 political parties and coalitions.

However, at least 28 parties registered with the Election Commission -- including the Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, and Workers' Party -- were not consulted.

BNP and other party leaders have particularly criticized the absence of the 1990 anti-authoritarian movement, which led to the fall of HM Ershad's regime and the restoration of parliamentary democracy.

A BNP Standing Committee member said: "We hope the party will announce a decision on this matter. We raised our concerns with the Commission, but they were not considered."

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a key leader of the Democracy Platform, confirmed: "I personally urged the Commission to include the 1990 movement in discussions, but it was omitted from the final draft."

Amanullah Aman, a prominent student leader during the 1990 uprising, emphasized the movement's historical significance: "From the Language Movement of 1952 to the anti-authoritarian struggle of 1990, each chapter was written with the blood of martyrs."

"Omitting the 1990 movement from the charter is an injustice to history."

The charter traces Bangladesh's political trajectory from colonial rule through the Language Movement (1952), Education Movement (1962), autonomy movement (1966), and the 1969 mass uprising, culminating in the 1971 Liberation War.

It also addresses subsequent political shifts, including the Fourth Amendment (1975), which established a one-party BAKSAL system, and the 1991 transition back to parliamentary governance via the 12th Amendment -- the first consensus-based constitutional change in Bangladesh's history.

Despite this detailed historical backdrop, the 1990 movement -- which restored multi-party democracy -- finds no mention.

BNP leaders argue that the charter's credibility depends on acknowledging all major democratic milestones.

Exclusion of registered political parties has also fueled doubts about the charter's inclusivity and sustainability.

Sheikh Salauddin Salu, president of the National Peoples' Party, said: "We communicated with the Commission repeatedly but received no response."

Syed Bahadur Shah Mojaddedi of Islamic Front Bangladesh alleged: "We were excluded because we are a pro-Liberation War Islamic party."

Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers' Party, noted that while parties aligned with the former Awami League government were justifiably excluded, other independent voices were also overlooked.

A contentious clause in the charter -- a pledge not to challenge its validity in court -- has raised further concerns.

Some BNP leaders question its enforceability, while Saiful Haque remarked: "This is a gentleman's agreement. Citizens retain the right to seek judicial recourse."

With the signing ceremony set for today under the auspices of Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, the legitimacy and long-term implications of the charter remain at the center of heated public and political debate.

As one political observer said: "A national consensus document that overlooks key historical transitions and excludes significant political voices risks being seen as incomplete -- and ultimately unsustainable."