The deadline set by the interim government for political parties to reach an agreement on implementing the July Charter and holding a referendum expired on Monday.
However, no consensus has been achieved among the parties, leaving the interim government to decide the process for implementing the July Charter and fixing the date for the referendum.
Several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, have been demanding a referendum before the parliamentary elections. On the other hand, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) insists that the referendum be held on the same day as the general elections.
In an attempt to resolve differences, the Advisory Council had called on all political parties to reach an agreement within a week, warning that the government would take action if talks failed.
Following the government’s appeal, Jamaat-e-Islami formed a two-member committee to engage in discussions with other parties. However, the BNP did not respond to these discussions and instead placed the responsibility of decision-making on the government.
BNP’s Position
According to the BNP, political parties have already spent significant time discussing the proposed reforms, and there is no need for further talks.
The party has stated it would join any government-led initiative for dialogue but prefers to meet separately with the Chief Adviser rather than participate in multi-party discussions.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told TIMES of Bangladesh, “Some educated individuals from abroad, particularly the US, are pressuring issues like the referendum and the charter. The BNP has accepted this, but the referendum must be held on the day of the parliamentary elections. The government must make the correct decision.”
Meanwhile, to pressure the government for a pre-election referendum, Jamaat-e-Islami and seven other like-minded parties plan to hold a rally in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Jamaat leaders have vowed not to compromise on this demand and are reportedly considering giving the government a 48- to 72-hour ultimatum, followed by a ‘Dhaka Cholo’ campaign if their demands are not met.
Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad told TIMES that the party would decide whether to participate in talks after internal discussions if the government calls for dialogue.
Apart from Jamaat, the National Citizen Party (NCP) also favours a pre-election referendum. However, they have softened their stance, indicating that they would not object if the referendum is held on the same day as the parliamentary elections.
