EC will have to campaign for referendum too: Sakhawat Hossain

Many questions will arise if the task of explaining the referendum on the July national charter to the public is carried out solely by the interim government, shipping adviser Brigadier General (retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain has remarked.

He called on the election commission (EC) to also play a role regarding the referendum. In that case, the government will provide any necessary assistance.

Sakhawat Hossain made these comments at a roundtable at the ATM Shamsul Haque Auditorium of CIRDAP on Topkhana Road in the capital on Wednesday morning.

He was the chief guest at the meeting, titled “Referendum 2026: What and Why?”, organised by Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN).

M Sakhawat Hossain said that if we do not want to return to previous situations, changes in arrangements will be necessary.

He added that reforms in the referendum are essential for this. But how these will take place will depend primarily on the voters. With one month remaining until the election, only as much publicity about the referendum is being carried out by the government as is currently visible.

Sakhawat Hossain recalled his experience working in the field as an election commissioner during the 2007 army-backed caretaker government.

“This (campaigning in favour of ‘yes’ in the referendum) is also the responsibility of the election commission. This time, alongside the vote, the commission’s job is to explain to the public what the referendum is. I would request the EC to mobilise; not just for the voting, but also to try to make the public understand how the referendum will be conducted, and involve others if necessary. If only the government carries out this task, many questions will arise,” he stated.

The adviser also called on civic bodies to assist the EC, saying this is extremely important. He added that it must be done to ensure that in the future, governance does not resemble past failures.

“The government is carrying out publicity. The election commission must also take to the field regarding the referendum. In that case, the government will provide any necessary assistance,” he said.

Adviser Sakhawat called on SHUJAN to run campaigns across the districts and involve others, urging cooperation similar to that in 2007.

“Whatever the government does, the role of organisations like SHUJAN is necessary to take the issue of the referendum to the people’s doorsteps. In this regard, I personally believe the role of the election commission also needs to be strengthened,” he said.

After the adviser’s remarks, SHUJAN chief executive Badiul Alam Majumdar reassured him at the meeting, saying, “We are carrying out publicity and campaigning this time as we did in 2007–08. We are trying to mobilise the youth and women. The referendum is closely linked to our existence. We will stay committed.”

At the start of the roundtable, SHUJAN chief executive Badiul Alam Majumdar said, “Sheikh Hasina has fled, but she left behind an autocratic system. To break this autocratic structure, reforms are needed. To ensure that a tyrannical rule does not take hold over us again, several fundamental reforms in the constitution are necessary. That is why the referendum is being held. However, there is ambiguity regarding the referendum, and various confusion and misinformation are being spread. This misunderstanding needs to be cleared.”

At the meeting, Badiul Alam Majumdar made a PowerPoint presentation detailing the referendum and explained it.

He said that the referendum will cover 48 proposals for constitutional reforms. Although these are divided into four sections, there will be a single question on the ballot—yes or no. Those in favour of the reforms must vote 'yes'. Political parties have signed the July Charter, and they are obliged to honour it.

Badiul Alam Majumdar urged political parties to clarify their positions on whether they support 'yes' or 'no' in the referendum.

“Our expectation is that, since the parties have signed the charter and committed to its implementation, they will also carry out activities to raise public awareness about the referendum. We hope they will honour their commitment,” he said.

Taking part in the discussion, film director Kazi Hayat said, “We must reach rural, illiterate women like Sakhina apa with the message that an opportunity has come for you to cast a yes or no vote to assert your existence, an opportunity to express your power. Do not let this opportunity slip away lightly.”

The chief adviser’s special assistant, Monir Haidar, also took part in the roundtable.

“If the July Charter is approved but not implemented in our national life, fascism will return once again,” he said.

Representatives from district-level units of SHUJAN and other citizens’ organisations also participated in the meeting. Some asked questions to the speakers, while others offered their opinions.

The session was chaired by SHUJAN vice president and retired Supreme Court Appellate Division judge Abdul Matin. In his concluding remarks, he said that campaigning in favour of the referendum through religious leaders would be effective.

He added that it must be communicated that if reforms are not implemented, the public will once again fall back into fascism.