Bangladesh opposition alliance calls for November referendum

DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — An alliance of eight opposition parties has asked the Election Commission to hold a national referendum in November and to implement the July National Charter ahead of Bangladesh’s next parliamentary elections.

Leaders from the coalition — which includes Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, the National Democratic Party, and the Bangladesh Development Party — delivered a memorandum to the commission on Thursday after a rally near its Dhaka headquarters.

Speakers said a November referendum would allow voters to endorse a framework for electoral reforms before the campaign formally begins. They urged the commission to ensure equal opportunities for all parties and warned that ignoring reform demands could repeat tensions seen in previous electoral cycles.

Organizers have been canvassing since September 30 on a five-point platform. The coalition is pressing for: a referendum by November tied to implementation of the National Charter; adoption of proportional representation for the next parliament; guarantees of a level playing field during the election period; visible prosecution of alleged abuses and corruption; and a ban on parties accused of backing autocratic rule.

At the rally, Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdul Halim and other leaders addressed supporters from a truck-mounted stage near the metro rail station in Agargaon. They said the memorandum would be followed by further outreach if the commission does not respond.

Leaders from Islami Andolan Bangladesh echoed the referendum demand and criticized the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s separate position on election-time arrangements, underscoring divisions within opposition ranks over tactics even as smaller parties coordinate pressure on the commission.