Parties busy with wining polls, ignoring referendum: No clear directions on ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote

Reza Mahmud :

Most of the voters of the country are yet to clear over the main theme of the much-anticipated referendum which will be conducted with the13th parliamentary election on 12 February, experts said.

The experts also said that the government, the election commission (EC) and the major political parties, have to do more on creating consciousness over the referendum and franchising their vote for ‘Yes’ as the very much desired reforms of the national constitution and state reforms are depend on the result of the referendum.

Sources said, the referendum aimed at implementing state reforms in line with the aspirations of the July Revolution will also take place. However, a clear contrast is visible on the ground in campaigning for the two votes.

When contacted, eminent political analyst Professor Dr. SM Ali Reza of Political Science Department of Dhaka University on Wednesday told The New Nation that, “As the democracy become freed again from the grip of fascist Hasina regime through the huge sacrifice of life and bloods of the young students of the country in the July Uprising, the desire of the revolution must be implemented through the referendum.”

Professor Reza said the government, the EC and obviously the political parties like the BNP, the Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP have a great role to create awareness among the people for winning the ‘Yes’ vote.

Sources further added, while political parties are running vigorous campaigns for the parliamentary election, the referendum appears largely neglected by many. Despite officially supporting a ‘Yes’ vote, the BNP’s silence in campaigning is noticeable. In contrast, the Jamaat-e-Islami-NCP-led 11-party alliance is running a strong campaign in favour of the referendum.

Although the BNP has officially announced its support for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum, a lack of clear directives from the central leadership has left grassroots leaders and activists confused. Several leaders say that while seeking votes for parliamentary candidates, they face questions from voters but cannot clearly state whether they should advocate ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in the referendum.

Some BNP grassroots leaders say that despite the absence of central instructions, they speak in favour of a ‘Yes’ vote when voters ask. However, in many areas, campaigning is limited solely to seeking votes for the party symbol, the sheaf of paddy, while deliberately avoiding any discussion of the referendum.

On the other hand, the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance is running a vigorous campaign on the referendum. At every election rally, they are asking for votes both for the parliamentary election and for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum. Many alliance candidates have also included references to the referendum on their banners and leaflets, urging voters to vote ‘Yes’.

Meanwhile, the interim government is carrying out extensive campaigning in favour of the referendum. To raise awareness, government advisers are touring the country.

All government departments have been instructed to campaign in support of a ‘Yes’ vote. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Information have taken strong initiatives to make voters aware of the referendum. Campaigning is also underway on social media. Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus has appealed to the nation through a video message to vote ‘Yes’.

After prolonged discussions with political parties aligned with the July Movement, the interim government drafted the “July National Charter, 2025.” To implement the charter, the government later issued the “July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Ordinance, 2025.”

Based on this ordinance, the schedule for the referendum was announced on 11 December alongside the announcement of the election schedule. According to the schedule, the referendum will be held on the same day as the parliamentary election, and parliamentary voters will also vote in the referendum.

Although election campaign restrictions were in place following the schedule announcement, there were no legal barriers to campaigning for the referendum. During this period, Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP)-formed by student leaders of the July Movement-and several other parties campaigned for a ‘Yes’ vote. The BNP, however, remained silent.

After formal election campaigning began on 22 January, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, and other alliance parties began campaigning both for their party symbols and for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum. No such activity was seen from the BNP.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman addressed rallies in seven districts on the opening day of campaigning but did not mention the referendum. He attended at least 10 more rallies over the following six days, including Tuesday, yet again made no reference to the referendum. BNP candidates across the country were also not seen speaking in favor of a ‘Yes’ vote during campaigning.

However, BNP leaders in several districts claim they are campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote in line with party policy. Recently, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated at a rally in his constituency that his party supports a ‘Yes’ vote, though he did not explicitly instruct voters on how to vote.

It has been learned that the BNP has not issued any directives to grassroots leaders regarding whether to campaign for ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Neither central nor grassroots leaders have been seen publicly campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote. Conversely, there are allegations that BNP supporters in some areas are quietly campaigning for a ‘No’ vote, though it is unclear whether this reflects party policy.

After meeting the Election Commission on 13 January, BNP Election Steering Committee Chair Nazrul Islam Khan told journalists that the party is not opposed to reform and has decided to support a ‘Yes’ vote. Party spokesperson Mahdi Amin also told the media that the BNP supports the ‘Yes’ vote and that campaigning is underway.

According to BNP sources, although the party supports the referendum, it is dissatisfied with its contents. The party claims that the version of the July Charter reflected in the referendum does not fully match the one they signed, particularly ignoring their notes of dissent. BNP leaders are also dissatisfied with the wording of the referendum questions. As a result, BNP is verbally supporting a ‘Yes’ vote, the central leadership has remained largely inactive in campaigning.

Several grassroots leaders echoed this confusion. Hatirjheel Thana BNP Joint Convener Akram Hossain Tutu said they have not received any instructions from the center. Kabir Hossain, General Secretary of Burichang Upazila BNP in Cumilla, said neither district nor central leadership has issued guidance on campaigning for ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. They are only asking for votes for the sheaf of paddy symbol.

However, Homna Upazila BNP President Mohammad Mohiuddin claimed that the party’s secretary general instructed them to campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the party supports reform and is committed to implementing the signed July Charter, though he alleged that many changes were made to the charter after it was signed.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, and the 11-party alliance remain highly active in the electoral field. Alongside campaigning for their party symbols, they are openly urging voters to ensure victory for the ‘Yes’ vote. Their efforts extend to digital and social media platforms.

These parties had long demanded a referendum due to the lack of consensus on reform proposals. Accordingly, they decided to mount a nationwide campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote. On 15 January, the alliance declaration explicitly included mobilizing public opinion in favor of the referendum.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has emphasized the ‘Yes’ vote in every rally, declaring that “‘Yes’ means freedom, ‘No’ means slavery,” and calling a ‘Yes’ vote a tribute to the martyrs’ blood.

Similarly, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque criticized what he called hypocrisy-publicly endorsing ‘Yes’ while privately campaigning for ‘No’.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has launched a three-pronged campaign, including social media outreach, leaflet distribution, and nationwide rallies.

The party has appointed representatives in 270 constituencies and designated “Referendum Brand Ambassadors” in seats without candidates.

Political science professor Kazi Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman of Dhaka University said it is disappointing that many parties are neglecting the referendum in their campaigns.

He warned that silence on the issue could alienate young voters and urged parties to clearly state their positions on the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote.