Referendum possible at end of November: Taher

Dr. Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Naib-e-Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has said that the July National Charter is so important that it must be implemented through a referendum, even if some funds have to be spent. Otherwise, he warned, the pressure surrounding it will persist in future elections.

The Jamaat leader said that it would be possible to hold a referendum at the end of the month if announced in the first week of November.

He made these remarks on Wednesday (29 October) to journalists after a meeting with a Commonwealth delegation at Jamaat-e-Islami’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka.

Welcoming the National Consensus Commission’s recommendation for the implementation of the July Charter, he said that if, for any reason, the national elections are not held on time, the July Charter remains a crucial document that must be implemented first.

He added that holding a referendum before the national elections would be the right decision, as a referendum reflects public opinion on the July reforms, while the national elections determine the country’s state authority. Therefore, he emphasised, the two processes are fundamentally different.