Referendum, reform issues should not be taken to court: Jamaat's Zubair

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said that taking the referendum and constitutional reform issues to court is a mistake, arguing that such matters should be resolved through parliamentary discussion rather than judicial intervention.

He made the remarks yesterday (2 March) at an emergency press conference held at the party's central office.

Referring to writ petitions filed in the High Court challenging the constitutionality of the referendum, Zubair said the next session of parliament is scheduled to begin on 12 March and that political issues of this nature should be settled through discussion among elected representatives.

Zubair criticised what he described as 17 years of "fascist rule," claiming that the government during that period destroyed the country's politics, parliamentary system, democracy, economy and banking sector, while creating deep inequality and trauma among citizens.

He said the July 2024 Uprising – led by students and people from all walks of life – resulted in the removal of the "fascist ruler". Following the movement, an interim government assumed office with three stated priorities: implementing reforms, bringing collaborators of fascism to trial, and holding a free and credible national parliamentary election.

"The interim government's tenure has ended, and now the nation can assess how much progress was made," he said.

According to Zubair, a National Reform Commission was formed after the uprising, and political parties were invited to submit reform proposals. A Consensus Commission was later established, and around 33 political parties participated in discussions over eight months – from February to October 2025 – culminating in the signing of the July National Charter.

He said there had been broad agreement that a referendum was necessary to provide legal validity to the charter.

"A referendum was the only option to give the July Charter a legal foundation," he said.

Although some political parties had preferred holding the referendum before the parliamentary election, both were ultimately held on the same day, he added. The reform proposals were approved by more than a two-thirds majority.

The proposals include 48 key reform issues aimed at preventing future fascism, autocracy, dictatorship and corruption, he said.