Writ filed challenging legality of July charter

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking a direction to declare the July National Charter, prepared during the previous interim government, illegal and inconsistent with the constitution.

A Supreme Court lawyer, Advocate Md Eunus Ali Akond, submitted the petition as a public interest litigation, seeking an order to suspend the charter’s effectiveness and a rule asking the authorities to explain why it should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional.

Akond said the constitution contains no provision for a charter of this nature, particularly its proposals for a referendum and a 100-member upper house in parliament.

“Therefore, this charter must be declared illegal and unconstitutional,” he said.

He added that the High Court could hold a hearing on the petition next week.

The July National Charter 2025 is a major reform initiative introduced by the interim government following the July–August 2024 mass uprising, with the stated aim of preventing a return to authoritarian rule.

Signed on October 17 last year by more than 20 political parties, the charter proposes 84 reforms, including 47 that would require amendments to the constitution.

Among its key provisions are a 10-year limit on a prime minister’s tenure and expanded powers for the president, part of a broader plan to establish what supporters describe as a “Second Republic”.

Other proposals focus on strengthening judicial independence, reforming the electoral system, increasing women’s representation, and enhancing protections for fundamental rights.

The reforms were put to a referendum alongside parliamentary elections on February 12, where the “Yes” vote prevailed with a turnout of 60.26%.

Earlier, another Supreme Court lawyer filed a writ petition yesterday with the High Court challenging the legality of the referendum on February 12 and seeking cancellation of the results announced the following day.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told The Daily Star that they will place arguments before the HC opposing both the petitions during their hearings.

“I think these are frivolous writ petitions. July charter and the referendum are the outcome of the July revolution. The July revolution is not the subject matter of the court for judicial review. People are the best judges of these events. That’s why both the charter and the referendum are not judicially reviewable and hence both the writ petitions should be liable to be summarily rejected,” he added.