Jamaat chief warns no possibility of February polls without legal basis for July Charter

He speaks at a Dhaka rally that highlighted five key demands

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has warned that those who fail to recognise the July Uprising will see no election next year.

On Tuesday, he said the July Charter must be given legal recognition first to acknowledge Uprising.

“Without this legal basis, there is no possibility of holding any election,” he said.

The Jamaat Ameer spoke at a joint rally alongside seven allied parties at Paltan intersection, Dhaka.

The rally highlighted five key demands: issuance of a constitutional order to implement the July Charter, holding a referendum in November, and ensuring a level playing field in future polls.

On Oct 28, the National Consensus Commission submitted a detailed set of recommendations to the chief advisor on how to implement the July Charter.

While two alternative pathways were proposed for implementation, the commission did not take a final decision on the referendum, suggesting it could occur either on the day of the parliamentary elections or beforehand.

Tensions over the issuance of the Charter implementation order and the timing of a referendum remain high among political parties. After receiving the recommendations, the interim government on Nov 3 called on all parties to reach consensus within a week.

Shafiqur said, “Our demands are few and very clear. The July Charter must be recognised. For those who refuse to accept the July Uprising, there will be no election in 2026. To see the 2026 election, the Uprising must first be acknowledged.”

He added: “Once the legal basis is established, the next parliamentary election will proceed without doubt. We want the 13th national elections held before Ramadan next February, and no one should attempt to create confusion or shift responsibility onto others.”