Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad has said that if a referendum is not held as per the constitution, the next national elections will have to be deferred until 2029.
He made the remarks while addressing an eight-party rally at Paltan intersection in the capital on Tuesday, November 11.
Azad said, “Some people claim that there is no provision for a referendum in the constitution. I want to remind them that Sheikh Hasina abolished the referendum through a constitutional amendment during the Awami League’s tenure. Those who now say there is no referendum in the constitution are simply echoing Hasina’s voice.”
He further argued, “The constitution mandates elections every five years. If elections are to be held in 2024, then where is it written that they will take place again in 2026? Constitutionally, the next elections should be held in 2029.”
Emphasising that fair elections are not possible without implementing the July Charter, the Jamaat leader said, “If we want to build a stronger society and begin the journey towards a new Bangladesh, a referendum must be held before the national elections as part of the reform process. Without this, neither the implementation of the July Charter nor fair elections can be ensured.”
Addressing the BNP, he alleged, “You want to re-establish fascism, but the people of Bangladesh will not allow such conspiracies to succeed on this soil.”
He urged the government to immediately issue an order to implement the July Charter.