National Consensus Commission (NCC) on Thursday strongly dismissed allegations that it had spent Tk 83 crore on hospitality, clarifying that its total expenditure to date stands at Taka 1.71 crore, of which only Tk 45 lakh was used for hospitality purposes.

In a statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Thursday night, the commission described the claims as “entirely fabricated and baseless,” calling them part of a “planned propaganda campaign.”

“A certain quarter has recently circulated false information that NCC spent Tk 83 crore on hospitality. These statements are completely untrue,” the statement read.

“Those who spread such misinformation did not contact the Commission or verify the facts from official sources.”
To dispel public confusion, NCC provided detailed financial figures. Since its formation on February 15, 2025, the total approved budget for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 fiscal years amounted to Tk 7.23 crore, with Tk 63 lakh allocated for hospitality.

As of October 31, 2025, the commission had spent Tk 1.71 crore in total; just 23.46 percent of its budget. Out of this, Tk 45.77 lakh went toward hospitality-related expenses.
According to the statement, most of these expenses were incurred during meetings and consultations with political parties and other stakeholders.
During the three phases of dialogue with political parties, NCC hosted refreshments and meals for participants, including party representatives, journalists, commission staff and security personnel.
Phase 1 (March 20–May 19, 2025): 44 meetings held; Tk 4.91 lakh spent.

Phase 2: 23 meetings at Foreign Service Academy involving 30 political parties; Tk 28.83 lakh spent. As meetings continued from morning to night, breakfast, lunch and dinner were arranged for participants. The average daily cost was below Tk 1.2 lakh.
Phase 3: Seven meetings involving representatives of 30 political parties; Tk 7.08 lakh spent.
In addition, the commission held 50 internal meetings, many on weekends or holidays, costing Tk 1.05 lakh in total.
Another Tk 2 lakh was spent on 13 public programmes, including sessions with civil society, professionals and press briefings.

Hospitality expenses for 14 expert meetings totaled Tk 30,960, the statement said, adding that the invited experts did not accept any honorarium or allowance.
Over a nine-month period, Tk 2 lakh was also spent on hosting guests such as foreign diplomats, representatives of local and international organisations, political leaders, editors and journalists.
The expenditure details clearly prove that the claim of Tk 83 crore is nothing but a deliberate attempt to discredit National Consensus Commission and its work,” the statement asserted.

NCC emphasized that it has maintained complete transparency throughout its activities, noting that media reports and regular briefings have kept the public informed.
Journalists have had free access to the commission’s office, while its vice-chairman and members regularly held press conferences.
For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, political party discussions were broadcast live on television, the statement added.
The commission urged those responsible for spreading the false information to acknowledge their mistake and issue an apology.
It also expressed appreciation for the responsible role of the media and called on journalists to continue disseminating accurate information to prevent public confusion.