HC issues rules over legality of July National Charter, referendum ordinance

The High Court on Tuesday issued separate rules questioning the legality of the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, the oath administered to members of the constitutional reform council and the referendum ordinance.

A High Court Division bench comprising justice Razik-Al-Jalil and justice Md Anowarul Islam passed the orders after hearing two separate writ petitions filed in this regard.

Senior lawyers Ahsanul Karim, Syed Mamun Mahbub, Gazi Kamrul Islam Sojol and Jyotirmoy Barua represented the writ petitioners before the court. Senior lawyer Mohammad Hossain appeared for the National Citizen Party (NCP) while senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir represented Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

The state was represented by additional attorney general Mohammad Arshadur Rauf, who is currently performing the duties of the attorney general, along with additional attorney general Aneek R Haque.

During the tenure of the interim government led by professor Muhammad Yunus, the “July National Charter 2025” was signed on 17 October 2025.

Subsequently, the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025, was published through a gazette notification on 13 November of the same year.

On 23 February, Supreme Court lawyer Chowdhury Md Redwan-e-Khoda filed a writ petition challenging the legality of Section 3 and the schedule of the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order and the Referendum Ordinance.

In a separate petition filed later, Supreme Court lawyer Gazi Md Mahbub Alam challenged the legality of both the implementation order and the letters issued for administering the oath to members of the constitutional reform council.

After hearing the two writ petitions, the High Court issued the rules today.