Jatiya Party chief urges voters to choose ‘No’ in referendum to ‘save nation’

Government has lost public trust by organising a referendum in breach of the Constitution, he says

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader has called on the public to vote “No” in the referendum, describing the July Charter as “unconstitutional and a threat to national stability”.

Speaking at a media briefing in Dhaka on Tuesday to announce the party’s final list of candidates and review the overall election situation, he said the government had lost public trust by organising a referendum in breach of the Constitution.

He warned that the proposed constitutional amendments would strip the prime minister or chief executive of effective authority, making it impossible to govern.

“You may try to stop autocracy, but how will a country be run if the person in charge is given no power?” he said, calling the amendments “illegal, unrealistic and intimidating”.

Quader said the changes would lead to constant changes of government within days, prevent laws from being properly passed and destroy political stability.

Accountability mechanisms should exist, but a system that gives no authority at all could not work, he added.

Declaring his party’s opposition to the reforms, he says the Jatiya Party will vote “No” and campaign for others to do the same “in the national interest”.

The party chief said the referendum would harm ordinary people, undermine the rule of law and push the country towards chaos.

He alleged that the process was flawed and could not properly reflect public opinion, accusing the government of breaking its oath by holding the referendum and urged voters to reject it at the ballot box.