People’s expectations not met by declaring election, referendum on same day: Golam Porwar

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has given its immediate reaction to Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus’s address to the nation.

At a press conference on Thursday, November 13, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said, “People’s expectations have not been met by announcing the national election and the referendum on the same day. This decision has created a crisis.”

He also said, “To resolve this crisis, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami along with eight like-minded parties have been demanding that the referendum should be held before the national election. That would strengthen its legal basis. Later, there would be no legal questions about it in the court. But the crisis remains unresolved.”

Meanwhile, Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus has said that the referendum will be held on the day of the parliamentary election.

In his address to the nation on Thursday afternoon, he said, “The referendum will be held on the day of the next national parliamentary election. That is, the referendum will take place on the same day in the first half of February along with the national polls. This will not hinder the reform goals in any way. It will make the election more festive and cost-effective. The necessary law for the referendum will be enacted in due time.”