Bangladesh rolls out nationwide campaign to raise referendum awareness

The CAO says training is being provided to grassroots-level government officials, religious leaders, and leading representatives of various non-government organisations

The government has launched a series of nationwide programmes aimed at raising public awareness about the upcoming referendum, according to the Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO).

In a statement issued on Monday, the CAO said the initiative is intended to address confusion about the referendum at the grassroots level. As part of the programme, field-level government officials, religious leaders and representatives of non-government organisations are being trained across the country.

Separate conferences for divisional officials and imams were held in Barishal on Sunday. The sessions included briefings on the referendum by Ali Riaz, a special assistant to the chief advisor with the rank of advisor, and another special assistant, Monir Haider.

The statement said similar programmes will be rolled out in other divisions in the coming days.

The programmes, conducted under the supervision of the CAO, are being organised by divisional commissioners’ offices to train officials at the divisional, district and Upazila levels, as well as representatives of non-government organisations. Training sessions for clerics and other religious leaders are being arranged by the Islamic Foundation.

According to the statement, divisional-level imam conferences and divisional meetings will be held in Rajshahi on Monday, in Rangpur on Wednesday, Jan 14, in Chattogram on Thursday, Jan 15, in Dhaka on Saturday, Jan 17, in Mymensingh on Monday, Jan 19, in Sylhet on Thursday, Jan 22, and in Khulna on Saturday, Jan 24.

The meetings, designed to exchange views and opinions, will be attended by officials at the divisional, district and Upazila levels, vice-chancellors and senior university teachers, prominent journalists, presidents and secretaries of press clubs, leaders of professional organisations including shop owners’ associations, heads and representatives of NGOs, religious leaders, representatives of civil society, and other distinguished individuals.

The statement said the meetings aim to raise awareness among relevant officials at the divisional, district and upazila levels, as well as other stakeholders, to create widespread public awareness among voters about the referendum.