A referendum on the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025, will be held in Bangladesh alongside the parliamentary elections scheduled for February next year, Chief Advisor of the interim government in Bangladesh Mohammad Yunus said on Thursday.
In a televised address to the nation, Yunus said, “Having considered all matters, we have decided that the referendum will be organised on the same day as the upcoming national parliamentary election.”
The July National Charter was prepared by the National Consensus Commission following the violent student-led uprising in 2024 that ousted the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
It calls for constitutional and structural reforms aimed at strengthening democracy, accountability and governance in Bangladesh.
Yunus stated that the referendum will seek approval from the citizens of Bangaldesh for undertaking the reforms proposed under the July Charter.
The July Charter proposes several reforms, including 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, and local governance. The charter also seeks to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure.
Once approved by the people, a Constitution Reform Council will be formed. The council will comprise newly elected parliamentary representatives who will be tasked with carrying out constitutional amendments within 180 working days of its first session.
The new upper house of the Parliament will be constituted within 30 days of the constitutional amendments.
Yunus called for a greater national unity ahead of the referendum and the national elections. He warned that disagreements and petty disputes 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.