Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has said it views “positively” the recommendations made by the National Consensus Commission on ways to implement the July National Charter. The party has, however, demanded that an executive order be issued immediately to begin the implementation process and that the charter be given a legal basis.
Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Jamaat’s nayeb-e-ameer, who represented the party in the National Consensus Commission’s discussions, made the remarks in an immediate reaction given to Prothom Alo on Tuesday night.
“We view the Commission’s recommendations positively. We demand that an order be issued immediately to implement the Charter. At the same time, we call for a referendum by November, before the national election, to give the Charter legal basis,” Abdullah Mohammad Taher said.
From the outset, Jamaat has been demanding both the issuance of an executive order to implement the July Charter and the holding of a referendum to establish its legal foundation. The party insists that such a referendum must take place before the forthcoming national election.
Explaining why the referendum should be held prior to the election, the party’s secretary general, Mia Golam Porwar, offered a separate statement yesterday.
Earlier in the day, a seven-member delegation led by him met with the chief election commissioner (CEC). During the meeting, the party submitted 18 proposals to the election commission aimed at ensuring a fair and credible election. Holding the referendum before the elections was one among those 18 proposals, he said.
Speaking to journalists, Mia Golam Porwar stated, “Among the 18 proposals, one is that the referendum must be held before the election. We must inform the nation about the reforms agreed upon in the July National Charter involving changes to the existing state structure. Only after being informed can the people vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’. If both the referendum and the election are held on the same day, voters will not have had the chance to understand the issues.”
He added that Jamaat also believes holding the national election and the referendum on the same day could create complications.