An Implementation Order linked to the July National Charter was approved by the voters in Bangladesh, with 48 million people or 68% voting in favor and 22.5 million or 32% against, across 299 constituencies, The Dhaka Tribune reported.
The development came as voters elected the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to lead the country in the general election on Friday. The voting for the Bangladesh general election took place on 12 February, the first since the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from the country in 2024.
The referendum was held on 12 February along with the general election, and the results were announced on Friday at 2 PM (local time). On the ballot, the question posed to voters was a simple yes-or-no, but it covered several issues. The question read: “Do you express your consent to the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025 and to the following proposals regarding constitutional reforms recorded in the July National Charter?” Yes or No.
What is the July Charter Referendum?
The July National Charter (Constitutional Amendment) Implementation Order, 2025, is a 28-page political agreement, which was signed by 25 parties and the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. The referendum centered on putting the July Charter into effect. The document was drawn up following the 2024 student-led uprising and calls for sweeping institutional changes to promote democracy, accountability, and social justice, while preventing the return of authoritarian-style governance, according to Reuters.
The charter’s implementation order was approved in November by the interim government, which said that public approval was necessary to bring crucial changes. Unlike the 1972 Constitution, which is a historical document, the July Charter is a blueprint for post-uprising reform, which was pushed by the student leaders and civil society groups and was later incorporated into the discourse by the Yunus-led government.
What did the referendum vote for?
The voters decided on four major issues, including Constitutional and Political Reform, Electoral Reforms, Judicial & Institutional Independence and Youth Representation.
It also included the establishment of new constitutional bodies, along with the introduction of a bicameral parliament, whose upper house will need a majority vote to make amendments to the Constitution.
Why does it matter?
The July Charter referendum became central to the political narrative in Bangladesh since it was held alongside the general elections. It symbolized a break from the Awami League, which was led by Hasina, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by the late Khaleda Zia.
Dhaka’s National Citizen Party, which is a student-led party, and its allies presented the vote as a public endorsement of the July Charter reforms.
Previous referendums in Bangladesh
Bangladesh previously held three referendums, in 1977, 1985, and 1991. While the first two referendums asked voters if they had confidence in the president and his policies, the third one sought approval to shift back to a parliamentary democracy from a presidential system. Voters voted in favor in all three instances.
However, in 2011, Sheikh Hasina abolished the referendum mechanism, which was later reinstated in 2024 by a High Court ruling after she fled the country and sought refuge in India.
