Amid discussion in political arena over holding the referendum, the interim government has written the Election Commission (EC) asking to arrange the referendum on the day of national election slated to be held in February next year.

The government has written to the EC at a time when most of the political parties have expressed their stance over holding the referendum and national polls on the same day while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its seven partners are staging movements demanding the referendum before the national polls.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday said that the government has instructed the EC to hold both the parliamentary polls and the referendum on the same day.

“The interim government has sent a letter to the Election Commission to prepare for both the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the referendum on the same day. The referendum law will be enacted next week, and once the law is passed, the Commission will begin preparations for the referendum,” he said.

Speaking at an election workshop organised by the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) in Dhaka’s Gulshan area at noon, AMM Nasir Uddin also said, “The previous Election Commissions did not face the level of challenges that the current Commission is facing. This is because everything is being carried out according to the law. We have no other option.”

Referring to the immense expectations of the people surrounding the election, the chief election commissioner said, “I have realised these expectations over the last 2-3 days. It is very challenging for us. Whatever challenges lie ahead, our main goal is to provide the nation with a transparent election. This promise has also been made to the political parties.”

“Our primary goal is to ensure a free and fair election – nothing more, nothing less. We are very confident about this,” the chief election commissioner said.

“Our political reality is not smooth, but I believe that after a transparent election, all situations will calm down. Our political leaders are responsible and wise,” he added.

On 13 November, the chief adviser addressing announced that the referendum and the parliamentary elections would be held on the same day.

On the other hand, Jamaat and seven other political parties have been carrying out movement demanding four points including the referendum before the national election.

On behalf of the eight parties, senior Nayeb-e-Amir of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Maulana Yusuf Ashraf, at a press conference recently announced that as part of their ongoing movement to realize four-point demands, the parties will stage rallies in all divisional cities except Dhaka between 30 November and 6 December.

However, most of the political parties including the BNP want referendum and national election simultaneously on the same day.

Earlier on 13 November, in a statement BNP urged the government and the Election Commission to hold a referendum seeking public consent on the July National Charter, which was signed on 17 October based on national consensus, and to arrange the next national election as soon as possible.

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