Abu Jakir :
Fresh tension has once again gripped the country’s political landscape as major parties remain sharply divided over the timing and process of a proposed referendum on the July National Charter.
The dispute follows the National Consensus Commission’s submission of its final report to the interim government, recommending steps to implement the much-debated Charter — a framework for sweeping political and constitutional reforms.
The BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) have each voiced contrasting views on how and when the referendum should be held.
The rift has surfaced at a critical juncture, with national elections scheduled for February next year. Despite months of dialogue and repeated calls for unity, no consensus has yet emerged.
According to the Commission’s report, implementing the Charter’s reform proposals would require a special order followed by a national referendum.
If approved, the next parliament would serve as a Constitution Reform Council, tasked with amending the Constitution within 270 days.
The proposed order — titled the “July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order” — would derive its legitimacy from the July People’s Uprising and serve as the legal foundation for reform.
The Commission proposed two possible paths for implementation. In one, if parliament fails to enact reforms within 270 days, they would automatically take effect.
The alternative approach would combine both the order and the reform proposals into a single referendum. In either case, a “Yes” vote would endorse the reforms as drafted, irrespective of political divisions.
The Charter outlines 84 reform proposals, including 48 constitutional amendments, aiming to establish new political, legal, and electoral mechanisms.
While most parties agree on the non-constitutional reforms — which could be executed through ordinances or executive orders — contention persists over the referendum’s legal basis, timing, and procedure.
The Commission suggested that the referendum could be held either before or alongside the national election. However, this recommendation has only deepened the divide.
Jamaat-e-Islami insists the referendum must take place before the election, whereas the BNP argues it should coincide with the election, using two separate ballots.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday (October 30), BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir asserted that the interim government lacks constitutional authority to issue any order implementing the Charter.
He warned that holding the referendum before the election would be “unnecessary, unreasonable, and imprudent,” citing time constraints, logistical hurdles, and financial burdens.
“It would be more practical to hold the referendum on the same day as the national election,” Fakhrul said.
In contrast, eight political parties — including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami — called on the Election Commission (EC) to organize the referendum by November to give legal validity to the Charter.
Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Maulana Abdul Halim reiterated the demand, saying: “The BNP can make its proposals, but we want the referendum to be held before the election.”
The National Citizens’ Party echoed that stance, warning against any election before the Charter’s implementation. Addressing an event at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari said:
“We cannot push Bangladesh’s future into uncertainty.
The debate over timing is mere sophistry. The BNP was born through a ‘Yes’ vote — if it now insists on a ‘No’ vote, it will die by that ‘No’ vote. The BNP should not dig its own grave.”
Later in the day, representatives from the eight-party alliance — including Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Khilafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolon, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), and the Bangladesh Development Party — met with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin at the EC office.
Following the meeting, Maulana Halim told reporters that the referendum “must be completed by November” and “cannot be held on the same day as the national election.”
In a memorandum submitted to the CEC, the alliance presented five key demands: immediate implementation of the July Charter through a referendum; introduction of a proportional representation system; a level playing field for elections; visible justice for “fascist” oppression and corruption; and a ban on alliances linked to authoritarian rule.
At an emergency press conference, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Muhammad Taher urged the government to announce the referendum date by Friday, saying: “If the order on the July Charter can be published today, that will be fine. If not, we want it by tomorrow. We have very little time — every moment counts now.”
Amid rising discord, Law Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul said on Thursday that the Chief Adviser would soon make a final decision regarding the referendum’s timing. Addressing reporters after an Advisory Council meeting, he acknowledged that political debate had reached its “most intense stage.”
“The decision will be made by the Chief Adviser,” Nazrul said. “No individual will decide this alone. The call will be made soon.”
He described the lack of consensus among parties as “deeply disappointing,” warning that it posed a serious challenge to achieving durable political stability.
“If parties continue to push their individual positions, it means there is no real consensus,” he remarked.
Nazrul reaffirmed that the national election would proceed in early February regardless of ongoing disputes, adding that while the interim government would pursue as many reforms as possible before then, “lasting change will depend on genuine political consensus.”
