Disagreement over the timing of a national referendum on the July Charter has plunged Bangladesh’s political landscape into uncertainty, with signs that Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus may soon intervene decisively.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has proposed holding the referendum on the same day as the upcoming national election in February.
In contrast, parties such as Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) are demanding that the referendum be held beforehand, arguing that public opinion on the Charter must be gauged before voters head to the polls.
The government is set to sign the July National Charter on Friday, but divisions persist among political parties over how it should be implemented.
In an effort to bridge these differences and dispel uncertainty ahead of the signing, Consensus Commission Chairman Dr Yunus convened an emergency meeting with leaders of major political parties and alliances on Wednesday.
Following the meeting, the Left Alliance announced that it will not sign the charter, citing unresolved concerns.
Meanwhile, NCP leader Akhtar Hossain said that the party’s decision on signing the July Charter is still under review, with no final confirmation yet.বিস্তারিত