Desperation to hold referendum before election raises public suspicion: Khasru

BNP senior leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury today (6 November) said the growing desperation of some political parties to hold a referendum before the national election, bypassing the constitution, has raised public suspicion about their motives.

Speaking at a discussion, he said it was not right for BNP to accept the unconstitutional demand for a referendum, which some political parties are now trying to exploit to derail the election.

Gonoforum organised the discussion titled 'Bangladesh's Constitution and Reform Proposals' at the Jatiya Press Club.

"There is no provision for a referendum in the existing constitution. If anyone wants to hold it, they must first amend the constitution, and that can only be done in Parliament through public representatives," the BNP leader said.

He said BNP agreed to the proposal for a referendum in the spirit of political tolerance and national unity.

Khasru, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, said their party might have supported the idea of holding a referendum on the day of the national election as a gesture of goodwill and compromise. "But in reality, no other vote can take place on the election day. That's why I believe BNP's show of generosity was not right — it was neither constitutionally correct, nor morally or democratically justifiable."

He said this 'unnecessary generosity' in the name of promoting political unity has now created more complications as some political parties are now demanding the referendum before the election.

"This raises a serious question in the public mind — what is the purpose of such a referendum, and why is there so much desperation for it? They want to hold it by breaking the law, bypassing the constitution, and going beyond democratic principles and spirit. So, one may wonder if there is an ill motive behind it," he observed.

Khasru said the constitution can only be amended through Parliament, not through any external process or political negotiation. "Those who took oath under this constitution cannot go beyond it," he said.

"The current government has taken oath under the existing constitution, accepting its authority. That means the constitution is very much in force. So, any solution to the crisis must come within this constitutional framework. No one has the right to bring changes, amendments, or solutions outside it," he added.

The BNP leader criticised the way some political parties are pushing the referendum idea by holding rallies and meetings. "This raises the question — do they really trust the people? Do they truly believe in democracy and the people's ownership of the country?"

Khasru also said the Consensus Commission failed to achieve a genuine national consensus as some parties issued notes of dissent on various issues.

"A note of dissent means there is no agreement on that issue. When there is no consensus, the chapter should close there. But now, even the disputed issues are being brought back in the name of a referendum. This is misleading and undemocratic," he said.

The BNP leader said only the points that had full agreement could move forward for discussion or signing of the charter.

He also questioned the legitimacy of the commission itself. "Who gave them the authority to sit for 14 months under an unelected government and decide the fate of Bangladesh?"

Khasru said BNP and other democratic parties fought for 16–17 years, faced persecution and made sacrifices to restore an elected government accountable to the people — not to create another unelected group to decide the nation's destiny.

He said the Consensus Commission, acting like the previous regime, is now trying to impose decisions without any clear mandate. "There was no need for this. Sheikh Hasina did it before, and now another group is doing the same thing. Who gave them the mandate? Who authorised them?"

The BNP leader said the people expected a new beginning after the end of the Hasina regime, but what is happening now is destroying that hope from the very start.

Khasru also accused some political parties pushing for proportional representation and a referendum of trying to delay the upcoming election. "They are making efforts to obstruct and foil the election by organising street programmes," he said.

He urged all political parties to respect the constitutional process and the people's mandate. "At the end of the day, sovereignty lies with the people. Let their representatives in Parliament decide through proper discussion and debate — that is the democratic way."