The upcoming 13th national election will not take place unless a referendum on the implementation of the July Charter is held beforehand, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqul Rahman has warned.
“If you want to see the parliamentary election in 2026, the July Charter must be recognised,” he said on Tuesday during a rally of the 8-party alliance in Paltan, Dhaka.
The rally was held to press five key demands, including the implementation of the charter, the issuance of an order for its enforcement, and a referendum before the parliamentary elections.
After the rally, the leaders of the parties decided to hold a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to discuss their demands, including holding a referendum in November.
In a press release, the parties said they will request a meeting with the chief advisor on Wednesday.
If the meeting takes place and no productive decision is reached regarding the referendum before the elections, the leaders have decided to announce tougher measures, which could be revealed as soon as Wednesday, according to the press release.
Tuesday’s rally of the parties began at 2pm at the Purana Paltan intersection, with central leaders from the participating parties delivering speeches in turn.
During the rally, the top leaders of the parties strongly criticised the BNP regarding the July Charter issue.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer and Charamonai Pir Syed Rezaul Karim declared that those who oppose the implementation of the July Charter should not have any right to hold a parliamentary election in post-uprising Bangladesh.
Mamunul Haque, ameer of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, called for a referendum on the July Charter before the national elections and said, “The country is now divided into two parts. One side supports the 1972 constitution, while the other supports the July Uprising.”
“Through the July uprising, we freed the country from fascism at the cost of thousands of fresh lives. We will again shed blood, if necessary, to prevent the resurrection of fascism by implementing the July Charter,” he said.
The eight parties that joined the rally include Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party, Jatiya Democratic Party, and Bangladesh Development Party.
Among the five key demands of the parties are: issuing an order for the implementation of the July Charter, conducting a referendum before the national election, implementing the PR system, prosecuting those responsible for the killings during the July Uprising, and banning the Awami League and the 14-party alliance.
For over two months, these parties have been staging protests demanding these points.
