Yunus to Decide Referendum Date Soon, Says Law Adviser

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will soon announce a decision on the date of the referendum, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka after a meeting of the Advisory Council, Nazrul acknowledged the sharp divide between political parties over the timing of the referendum. “The chief adviser will make the decision. We will work under his leadership and provide our full support. Rest assured, the decision will not be made by any particular individual. The chief adviser will decide on it, which will be made very soon,” he said.

On Tuesday, the National Consensus Commission submitted its recommendations on implementing the July National Charter, suggesting that a referendum be held either before the parliamentary election or on election day.

The Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded that the referendum take place before the polls to give the Charter legal validity, while the BNP insists it must be held on election day, rejecting further debate. The BNP also expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission’s recommendations, arguing that they included issues beyond what political parties had originally agreed upon.

Nazrul described the ongoing discord as “disappointing” after 270 days of discussions, saying it has created challenges for the government in finalizing the consensus document.

When asked if the disagreements could affect the national polls, he reaffirmed: “We are committed to holding the election in the first week of February.”