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The interim government on Tuesday approved the draft Referendum Ordinance 2025 -- incorporating the provision for giving ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote against a single question with four proposals relating to key state reforms in the referendum.

The ordinance also provides for conducting the referendum simultaneously with the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections in February, 2026. 

- ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote on reforms to be held together with JS polls
- Electoral laws to be equally applicable
- Referendum, polls ballots to be sent together
- Referendum ballot to be in colour

The council of advisers gave the final approval to the draft ordinance in a special meeting with chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair at his Tejgaon office in the capital Dhaka.

‘A special meeting of the council of advisers has given the final approval to the draft Referendum Ordinance today in keeping with the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order,’ law adviser Asif Nazrul told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy after the cabinet meeting

‘The ordinance will be published in a gazette today or tomorrow,’ he also said.

The electoral laws and rules that apply to the JS polls would be similarly applicable for the referendum and both the polls and the referendum will be conducted simultaneously in the same polling centres across the country, he said.

The law adviser said that the question for the referendum would be ‘Do you give your consent to the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025 and the following constitutional reform proposals contained in the July Charter?’

The government authorities would launch massive campaigns so that people across the country become aware of the referendum question and the proposals incorporated therein for their opinion ‘for’ or ‘against’ it.

The four proposals are—a) During the election period, the caretaker government, the Election Commission, and other constitutional bodies shall be formed in accordance with the procedures contained in the July Charter;

1. b) The next Jatiya Sangsad shall be bicameral. A 100-member upper house shall be formed based on the proportion of votes received by political parties in the JS elections. Any amendment to the constitution shall require the approval of a majority of the upper house;
2. c) The winning political parties shall be obliged to implement the 30 agreed proposals included in the July Charter — covering issues such as increasing women’s representation in parliament, electing the deputy speaker and parliamentary committee chairpersons from the opposition, limiting the prime minister’s term, strengthening the president’s powers, expanding fundamental rights, ensuring judicial independence, and enhancing local government; d) Other reforms contained in the July Charter shall be implemented in line with the commitments made by the political parties.

On the referendum day, voters will express their opinion on these four matters by voting either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the single question on the ballot paper.

The ballot paper for the referendum would, however, be different from that of the general election. 

The referendum ballot paper would be in colour while the ballot paper for the national polls would remain black and white as usual.

About dissents given in some matters provided in the referendum, he said that the government had played a role here to reach a decision over the reform initiatives since around 30 political parties, who were consulted recently in a long process, had largely agreed on those 30 points of the reforms.

Asif, also a professor of law, said that the ordinance would empower the Election Commission to frame rules necessary to implement it.

He said that the option of postal votes for expatriates and those on official duties at the election time at home and abroad to be exercised this time would be equally applicable for the referendum.

Asked whether those absconding in India would be allowed to register their names for postal voting, the law adviser said that he did not think so.

Responding to a question, EC senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed, however, said that the online registration process for those eligible would be open everywhere in phases.

The registration process using apps has begun with the expatriates in North American countries for postal voting and more than 31,000 Bangladeshis have been registered. 

On November 13, the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025 was issued in a gazette with a provision for holding the Jatiya Sangsad elections and the referendum on the July Charter the same day.

In his televised address to the nation, chief adviser Professor Yunus on the same day said that after a careful consideration the government had decided that the referendum would take place on the same day as the next parliamentary elections.

‘This means that the referendum shall be held in the first half of February like the national elections. This arrangement shall not hinder the reform process in any way. Rather, it will make the election more festive and cost-effective,’ he said.

Calling the consensus achieved through the charter a ‘historic milestone,’ Yunus  said that while minor differences remained on certain proposals the overall agreement among political parties on 30 major constitutional reform issues represented an exceptional national achievement.

Although there might appear divergence in political rhetoric, the chief adviser observed, a proper analysis of the July Charter would show that the differences were not so deep and this national consensus would give the nation the courage to move forward.

Although chief adviser Yunus in his address claimed that there was an overall agreement among the political parties on 30 major constitutional reform issues, the July National Charter 2025 published by the National Consensus Commission showed consensus among the parties on only 12 of these issues.

 If a majority of the voters cast ‘Yes’ vote, a Constitutional Reform Council shall be formed, consisting of elected members from the new parliament, according to the order.

As per the order, the council shall function concurrently with the Jatiya Sangsad and shall be tasked with finalising the constitutional reforms within the 180 working days from its first sitting.

Led by Muhammad Yunus, the interim government took the reform initiatives in keeping with the aspirations of the student led July Mass Uprising that led the fall of the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.