DHAKA — If the BNP cites the constitution to oppose a referendum, then under the current constitution there is no scope for an election before five years are up, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad said Tuesday.
“The constitution says elections are to be held every five years,” Azad said. “If an election was held in 2024, where does it say in the constitution that another election can be held in 2026? Under the constitution, the next election must be held in 2029.”
He made the remarks at a rally of eight parties at Paltan intersection in the capital on Tuesday.
“Some are saying there is no provision for a referendum in the constitution,” Azad said. “To them I want to say: it was Sheikh Hasina, during the Awami League government, who amended the constitution and abolished the referendum provision. Those who now say there is no referendum in the constitution — are they not speaking in Hasina’s voice?”
“A free and fair election is not possible without implementing the July charter,” he said. “To strengthen society on a new foundation and to begin the journey toward a new Bangladesh, a referendum must be held as part of reforms before the national election. Without a referendum before the election, neither the July charter will be implemented nor will a free and fair election be possible.”
Addressing the BNP, Azad said: “You want to establish fascism all over again. The people of Bangladesh will not allow this conspiracy on Bengali soil. We want to tell the government: issue the order for the July charter.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report