Fakhrul slams ‘one-sided’ July Charter proposals

“The proposal to hold a referendum before the next national election is illogical and unwise,” he said while speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Fakhrul said, “We agreed to the referendum only to give legal basis to the implementation of the July National Charter. But we cannot agree with the other recommendations of the National Consensus Commission, as they ignored the issues where differences or notes of dissent existed and included matters that were never discussed during the long meetings.”

He said they were deeply disappointed with the recommendations, arguing that such proposals would divide the nation instead of uniting it and that accepting any arbitrary reform could cause long-term harm to the national interest.

The BNP leader said the Commission did not respect the democratic rights and opinions of political parties and even changed some agreed points secretly. “These recommendations have been imposed on the nation,” he said.

He also said the government has no legal authority to give constitutional status to the July Charter. “The decision to hold a referendum before the national election is completely unacceptable to BNP,” Fakhrul added.

The BNP leader said with the national election already announced for the first half of February 2026, holding a referendum beforehand is “unnecessary, unreasonable and impractical.”

“Given the limited time, the large costs, and the extensive manpower required, including law enforcement and election officials, it would be more logical to hold the referendum and the election together on the same day,” he said.

Fakhrul hoped that the aspirations of the people and the sacrifices made during the long struggle against fascism and during the student uprising of 2024 will be honoured.

He said BNP’s goal is to build a strong democratic state based on equality, human dignity and justice through a fair, neutral and credible national election.

Highlighting BNP’s reform record, Fakhrul mentioned late President Ziaur Rahman’s 19-point programme, Khaleda Zia’s Vision 2030, and Tarique Rahman’s 27 points—later expanded to 31 through consultations with allies—as proof of the party’s commitment to reforms and development.

He said BNP actively took part in the meetings and discussions of both the Reform Commission and the Consensus Commission over the past year and made many compromises in the interest of national unity, reports UNB. 

“We sincerely wish success for the ongoing reform process, but as a responsible political party, we must take and express our position to ensure the true welfare of the country and its people,” Fakhrul said.