Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday called on the government to issue an order to hold a referendum, following recommendations of the National Consensus Commission to implement the July Charter.
The party reiterated its demand for a referendum in November before the national election.
Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syeed Abdullah Mohammad Taher made the demand after a meeting with the Commonwealth’s pre-election observer team at the party’s central office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar around 11am.
He said, “A referendum and elections cannot be held on the same day. If the referendum is conducted on the election day, people’s attention will not be on it. Moreover, if for any reason the election is postponed, the implementation of the July Charter will remain pending. Therefore, a referendum could be held towards the end of November.
“A new Bangladesh must be built quickly by implementing positive recommendations. If Jamaat comes to power, the party’s first step will be to make the country corruption-free,” he said.
He also claimed corruption reduced after Jamaat’s student organisation, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, won the elections of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU).
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and members of the Commonwealth pre-election observer team were also present at the meeting.
