Bangladesh's Historic Vote: Charter Referendum Amid February Election

In an address to the nation, the Chief Advisor said the decision was approved during the Advisor's Council meeting earlier in the day, describing it as a major step toward implementing the reform roadmap that emerged from the July 2024 Mass Uprising.

"Having considered all matters, we have decided that the referendum will be organised on the same day as the upcoming national parliamentary election. This means that, like the national election, the referendum will also be held on the same day in the first half of February," Yunus said in his televised address.

The July National Charter was prepared by the National Consensus Commission following months of dialogue with political parties and civil society groups. The Charter outlines a framework for constitutional and structural reforms aimed at strengthening democracy, accountability, and governance in Bangladesh after the student-led mass uprising in 2024 ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power, leading her to flee the country.

According to the Chief Advisor, the referendum will ask citizens to approve the July Charter and its key reform proposals, which include the formation of a caretaker government and independent Election Commission during election periods, the establishment of a bicameral parliament with an upper house of 100 members proportionally representing party vote shares, and the implementation of 30 consensus-based reforms on issues such as women's representation, parliamentary oversight, judicial independence, local governance, and limiting the Prime Minister's tenure.

If the majority of voters support the referendum, a Constitution Reform Council composed of newly elected parliamentary representatives will be formed to carry out the constitutional amendments within 180 working days of its first session. The new upper house will then be constituted within 30 days of the reforms being completed.

Highlighting the interim government's progress over the past 15 months, Yunus said major reforms have been implemented to ensure judicial independence, strengthen the financial system, enhance transparency, and curb corruption. He added that Bangladesh's economy has shown strong recovery, with exports, reserves, and foreign investment improving significantly.

Concluding his address, the Chief Advisor called for political unity ahead of the national elections, warning that divisions among parties supportive of last year's uprising could endanger the democratic transition.

The unity that the countrymen forged in July 2024, standing tall against fascism in the face of death, must not be undermined by us, the living, by getting entangled in minor disagreements and petty disputes," Yunus said.

"Therefore, I hope that political parties will accept this decision in the greater interest of the nation. The nation will move towards a festive national election. Through this, we will enter a new Bangladesh. We have arrived at the threshold of building a new Bangladesh," he added.

- ANI