Gazette of July National Charter issued

The government has published the gazette of the “July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025”.

The Order mandates the government to hold a referendum on the provisions of the July National Charter relating to reforms of the Constitution.

The Order and its constitution-reform issues will be submitted for referendum to “exercise the sovereign power of the people”, the notification released on Thursday afternoon said.

The referendum will be held in accordance with the Order on the day of the national parliament election.

The charter envisages the creation of a bicameral parliament with an upper house of 100 members, representing the political parties proportionally according to the votes they got in the polls.

The Order has made as many as 30 proposals, including limiting the term of the Prime Minister in office, empowering the President and electing Deputy Speaker from the opposition bench, and increasing the number of female seats in the parliament, suggesting that execution of the proposals will be obligatory for the winning political parties of the coming parliamentary elections.

Referendum will be held through a ballot, and each voter will vote secretly on the ballot determined by the Election Commission.

According to the gazette, an appropriate law will be enacted for holding the referendum, and the Election Commission will take the required measures to this end. 

Earlier, the President of Bangladesh Md Shahabuddin, signed the Order, the notification said.