Referendum Call on July Charter Aims to Delay Polls: Salahuddin

“The next parliamentary election is only a few months away, and arranging it is already a huge national task. If we try to hold a separate referendum before the election, it will need the same preparations, manpower, logistics, and budget as a general election. This will only waste time and delay the polls,” he said.

The BNP leader made the remark while speaking at a discussion titled 'Challenges and Prospects of Quality and Acceptable Elections' organised by Nagorik Jubo Oikya at the Jatiya Press Club.

He argued that the referendum can easily be held on the same day as the national election, using the same polling stations, officials, and ballot boxes. “This way, we can avoid any attempt to delay the election process,” he observed.

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Without naming anyone, Salahuddin said some quarters are still repeating old arguments that a constitutional order must be issued before a referendum. “We think these unnecessary complications should be avoided. The real challenge is not the election itself but the attempts by some to delay it through unnecessary legal and political debates,” he said.

He also said some quarters are trying to create confusion and instability by raising new issues both on the streets and in discussions. “These are the real challenges."

Salahuddin said a referendum on national issues can be held under the existing legal framework without amending the Constitution. 

“The government can issue an ordinance to empower the Election Commission to hold the referendum on the same day as the parliamentary polls,” he said. 

“The advantage is clear — the same resources, same cost, and the same logistical setup can be used for both votes,” he said, adding that the people of Bangladesh are already used to casting votes on multiple ballots in local government elections.

He said the referendum question can be presented in a simple way for voters to decide whether they support the proposed July National Charter.

Salahuddin also expressed hope that Bangladesh will soon hold a free, fair, and participatory election that would ensure political stability and reflect the true will of the people, reports UNB.