Dhaka — Bangladesh will hold a national referendum on implementing its “July Charter” for state reform, interim government head Muhammad Yunus announced on Thursday. The proposed charter was drafted following last year’s student-led uprising, one of the most significant political movements in the country’s recent history.
Yunus reaffirmed that parliamentary elections will take place in February, pledging that they will be free, fair, and transparent.
The July Charter aims to reshape Bangladesh’s political and institutional framework, introducing key reforms and granting constitutional recognition to the 2024 uprising that led to the resignation and flight of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
While most major political parties endorsed the charter in October, the National Citizens Party (NCP) — established by the leaders of last year’s protests — along with four left-leaning parties, boycotted the initiative. The NCP cited the absence of a legal mechanism or enforceable guarantees to ensure that the charter’s commitments would be implemented.
Supporters of the July Charter have described it as a blueprint for deep institutional reform and a step toward restoring public trust in governance. Critics, however, argue that without a formal legal framework or parliamentary backing, its impact could remain largely symbolic.
The upcoming referendum is expected to be a crucial test of public sentiment toward the interim government’s reform agenda and its ability to stabilize Bangladesh’s political landscape following months of upheaval.
