Delegates from 28 political parties on Sunday agreed that a referendum could be held simultaneously with the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections on the same day.
They agreed to the measure in order to get the people鈥檚 mandate to authorise the next parliament to implement the 84-reform point July National Charter 2025.
The parties reached the consensus while discussing the July Charter implementation methods at the National Consensus Commission鈥檚 fourth session of the third-round dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
However, the fourth session of the dialogue was adjourned till October 8 as the parties had not yet decided the way of legitimising the proposed referendum.
Political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party, Ganosamhati Andolan, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Revolutionary Workers Party, and Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), were present. However, the Amjanatar Dal and the Islami Oikya Jote were absent in the meeting due to their engagements in organisational works.
NCC vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz, members Badiul Alam Majumder, Justice Emdadul Hoque, and Iftekharuzzaman, and chief adviser鈥檚 special assistant for reforms Monir Haidar were present at the meeting.
Earlier, the consensus commission met the interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna in the capital.
The chief adviser instructed the commission members to inform him about their final decision at the shortest possible time.
At the commission鈥檚 meeting, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed advocated for holding a referendum on the same day of the 13th national elections, planned for early February 2026, to get the people鈥檚 mandate on how to implement the July Charter by the next Jatiya Sangsad.
He also recommended that the interim government should issue an ordinance to聽 amend the Representation of the People Order to authorise the Election Commission to hold the referendum.
All the attending 28 parties supported a referendum, but some of them, including the Bangladesh Jasod, Nationalist Democratic Movement and Liberal Democratic Party, recommended that the government should seek the Supreme Court鈥檚 advice on it.
Meanwhile, several parties, including the Jamaat, Islami Andolan, Khelafat Majlis, and Amar Bangladesh Party suggested that there should be a 鈥榗onstitution order鈥�, as a legal foundation for the July Charter, issued by the president for the referendum.
Jamaat assistant secretary general Hamidur Rahman Azad, arguing that the Appellate Division鈥檚 advice to implement the July Charter may be challenged in the future, said, 鈥榃e are recommending a constitution order followed by a referendum.鈥�
NCP joint secretary Javed Rasin recommended issuing a July Charter Implementation Order to empower the next Jatiya Sangsad to play dual roles as a usual parliament, on the one hand and, on the other, a constituent assembly for adopting basic structural changes to the constitution.
A member of the Jamaat delegation, Shishir Manir, also supported the issuance of a July Charter Implementation Order by the chief adviser.
Seeking an answer from BNP鈥檚 Salahuddin, Shishir questioned the EC鈥檚 power to hold a referendum until amending EC-related provisions in the existing constitution.
Salahuddin said that a referendum could be held simultaneously with the 13th national elections only for achieving the people鈥檚 mandate on the July Charter.
鈥業f the voters give mandate, the next Jatiya Sangsad will have the sovereign power to implement the charter,鈥� he said, adding that the next parliament would require another referendum for reforming the constitution鈥檚 basic structure as per the original Article 142.
The original Article 142 mandates a referendum to amend certain basic structures of the constitution, such as the preamble, Articles 8, 48, 56, and 142 itself.
Through the 15th amendment, the Awami League-led 11th parliament sealed the referendum option for any basic structural change.
After the fall of the Awami League regime, the High Court in December declared parts of the 15th amendment illegal, reinstating the original article 142.
Arguing that the interim government had no power to issue a constitution order, Salahuddin concluded that there was no need for a constitution order or advice from the Appellate Division to hold a referendum for the July Charter.
At 5:00pm, the commission vice-chair adjourned the meeting till 2:00pm of October 8.
The National Consensus Commission鈥檚 extended tenure will expire on October 15.
The finalisation of the charter and its endorsement by the parties concerned need to be completed by November 30 in order to pave the way for the 13th national elections in early February 2026.聽
The consensus commission began working on February 15 with the task of formulating a political consensus-based charter by August 15.
The commission presented at least two editions of the July Charter before the 30 political parties on August 16 and September 11.
However, the date of signing the charter has not been finalised yet due to the parties鈥� demand for finalising beforehand the July Charter execution method.
