Election Commission (EC) has declared that the ballots for the 13th national election and the referendum must be placed in the same box. The referendum ballot will be pink.
The commission has issued a circular in this regard on 11 December.
EC explained on various matters concerning the referendum scheduled for February 2026, including the question, voting time, appointment of Returning Officers (RO), Assistant Returning Officers (ARO), and Polling Officers, determination of the voting method, and publication of results.
The circular states, “To verify whether the people consent to certain proposals regarding constitutional reform in the July Charter 2025, aimed at exercising the sovereign power of the people manifested through the successful mass uprising of students and people in July-August 2024, the government has decided to hold a referendum.
“To this end, the government has already promulgated the Referendum Ordinance, 2025. With the objective of conducting the referendum in a fair, proper, and orderly manner, EC is issuing the following circular as guidelines for the assistance of ROs and AROs.”
According to the circular, election and referendum will be held from 7:30am to 4:30pm on 12 February.
Subject of the referendum
Question: A referendum will be held by secret ballot on whether voters give their consent (Yes/No) to the July Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025, and the following proposals for constitutional reform recorded in the July Charter:
- The caretaker government, the EC, and other constitutional institutions will be formed in light of the process described in the July Charter.
- The next national parliament will be bicameral, and a 100-member upper house will be formed based on the proportion of votes received by parties in election; and approval from a majority of members of the upper house will be required to amend the constitution.
- Winning political parties in the upcoming election will be obligated to implement the 30 issues agreed upon in the July Charter, as described in the schedule, including increasing women’s representation in parliament, electing the Deputy Speaker and Parliamentary Committee chairpersons from the opposition, fundamental rights, independence of the judiciary, local government, the Prime Minister’s tenure, and powers of the President.
- Other reforms described in the July Charter will be implemented according to the commitment of political parties.
Moreover, ROs and AROs appointed and their jurisdictions determined by EC shall be deemed appointed for the referendum in their respective jurisdictions.
Similarly, the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, and polling officers appointed shall be deemed appointed for the referendum at the respective polling stations. The polling officers will conduct the activities of election and referendum simultaneously at the same time.
The polling stations designated for election will be used as polling stations for referendum. The voter list prepared for election will be the voter list for referendum, and the voters listed therein will be entitled to vote in the referendum.
The transparent ballot boxes approved, specified, and supplied by EC for election will be used as the ballot boxes for referendum. After casting their vote, voters will deposit the election ballot and the referendum ballot in the same box.
Bangladeshi voters residing abroad mentioned in clause (1), sub-clauses (a) or (b) or (c) or (d) of Article 27 of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, and specified voters residing within the country will cast their votes in referendum via postal ballot in election.
Postal ballot (Form-2) will be used for referendum. The same procedure adopted by persons eligible to vote by postal ballot in election will be followed for the referendum.
Voting method
Along with the ballot paper for election, one ballot paper for the referendum will be supplied, and the voter will seal “Yes” or “No” on the referendum ballot paper, fold it, and deposit it in the designated ballot box.
In the case of postal ballots, the voter will express their vote or opinion by marking a tick or cross mark in the blank box next to “Yes” or “No” on the referendum postal ballot paper (Form-2).
Immediately upon receiving the ballot paper, the voter will go to the designated secret compartment to mark the ballot paper.
After finishing poll, the presiding officer will, in the presence of agents appointed for candidates in election (if present) at the polling station or the postal vote counting center, open each ballot box and separate election ballots and referendum ballots.
Thereafter, they will count the election ballots candidate-wise and separately count the referendum ballot papers cast indicative of “Yes” and those indicative of “No”.
