President signs July Charter Implementation Order: office

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is to address the nation in the afternoon. The speech may clarify the date of the referendum

President Md Shahabuddin has signed the July National Charter Implementation Order.

An official from the president’s office told bdnews24.com the information on Thursday afternoon.

A referendum will be held in accordance with this order. The referendum will give the people’s verdict on the reform proposals that have been finalised and included in the July National Charter following dialogue between the political parties and the National Consensus Commission.

Meanwhile, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus will address the nation this afternoon on the implementation of the July Charter. He may announce the decision on when the referendum will be held in his speech.

The chief advisor's speech is scheduled to be broadcast live on Bangladesh Television, BTV News and BTV World at 2:30pm.

A meeting of the Advisory Council was held at his office in Dhaka’s Tejgaon and was chaired by the chief advisor. The method of implementing the July National Charter was discussed at the meeting.

On Oct 28, the National Consensus Commission submitted two alternative recommendations to the interim government on ways to implement the July National Charter.

PROPOSAL 1:

(a) The government will issue an order titled “July National Charter (Constitution Amendment) Implementation Order, 2025” to enforce the constitutional reform issues contained in the Charter.

(b) To exercise the people’s sovereign authority, the interim government will prepare and present a comprehensive draft bill -- based on the reform issues listed in Schedule-1 of the order -- for approval through a national referendum.

(c) After the implementation order is issued, the newly elected parliament will be formed through the general election, and at the same time, a Constitution Reform Council will be constituted. This council will exercise delegated powers to amend the Constitution.

(d) If the referendum yields a positive public mandate, the reform bill will serve as a guiding document for the council’s work. However, if the council fails to complete its reform tasks within 270 calendar days from its first sitting, the referendum-approved draft amendment bill will be automatically incorporated into the Constitution.

PROPOSAL 2:

(a) The government will issue an order titled “July National Charter (Constitution Amendment) Implementation Order, 2025,” as reflected in the commission’s attached draft.

(b) To uphold the people’s sovereign authority, the reform proposals included in Schedule-1 of the order will be presented directly to voters in a referendum.

(c) After the order is issued, a Constitution Reform Council will be formed, composed of members elected in the national election, with the authority to execute constitutional amendments.

(d) Within 270 calendar days of its first session, the council will complete the reforms following the Charter’s guidelines, after which the council’s activities will conclude.

The commission also drafted the referendum question to be placed before voters:

“Do you approve the July National Charter (Constitution Amendment) Implementation Order, 2025, and the constitutional reform proposals included in its Schedule-1?”