Referendum is matter of national interest: Rizwana
She said the reforms were not drafted by the interim government, but were prepared based on recommendations from six election-related commissions among the 11 commissions established under the July Charter
Information and Broadcasting Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today (20 January) said the forthcoming referendum is a matter of national interest and should not be viewed from partisan or personal perspectives.
She made the remarks while delivering her speech as the chief guest at an event in the Radio Colony area of Savar, which highlighted the issues related to the 2026 referendum and women and children.
The programme was organised by Bangladesh Betar in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication at Radio Colony ground in Savar under the "Awareness Campaign on Child, Adolescent and Women Development" project.
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Rizwana Hasan said, "If you vote 'yes' in the national interest, it does not matter whether you support any party or not – the country will win. And when the country wins, we all win."
She added that the interim government came to power after the July Uprising to guide the country on a reformed path.
"We have three major responsibilities – elections, reforms, and justice – to ensure that the country does not fall to the hands of any fascist forces. The people are the source of all power, and there should be space to exercise that power," she said.
Rizwana, also the adviser of the ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Water Resources, noted that electing leaders is a huge responsibility and mistakes could push the country back in this case.
She said the reforms were not drafted by the interim government, but were prepared based on recommendations from six election-related commissions among the 11 commissions established under the July Charter.
If you vote 'yes' in the national interest, it does not matter whether you support any party or not – the country will win. And when the country wins, we all win
All political parties have signed the July Charter.
She added that in political matters, power balance, empowering the people, ensuring good governance, reforming the judiciary, and positive changes of increasing women's participation were proposed through a set of questions in the referendum.
The referendum contains four major questions with "yes" or "no" options, said the adviser, urging voters to cast their vote in favour of "yes".
"When 'yes' wins, the people can truly begin the journey towards democracy," she added.
She recalled that in 2011, the caretaker administration was removed from the constitution, and laws were passed in four minutes. "We don't want the situation to repeat. If 'yes' prevails in the referendum, such scenarios will not occur because the deputy speaker will come from the opposition, and consent of upper chamber of parliament will require for decisions," she said.
She also said that administrative positions should not be filled by party loyalists but by people's representatives.
"If the referendum passes with 'yes', both the administration and institutions will be strengthened. constitutional rights, including environmental and internet, will be further expanded, and the government's work will increase," she said.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan urged everyone to go above personal and party considerations and vote 'yes' in the national interest.
The programme was presided over by Mahbuba Farjana, secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Prior to the event, Syeda Rizwana Hasan inaugurated a referendum rickshaw by cutting the ribbon.
Bangladesh Betar Director General ASM Zahid and senior officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were also present. The second part of the programme featured a cultural performance by popular musicians.
