Dhaka, Nov 13 (NationPress) Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus of the interim government of Bangladesh declared on Thursday that the nation will conduct both a general election and a referendum concurrently in the initial half of February 2025, as reported by local media.

In his address to the citizens of Bangladesh, Yunus stated, "The referendum will occur in the first half of February alongside the general election. This will not impede our reform objectives; rather, it will enhance the electoral experience, making it more festive and economical."

"A suitable law will be developed in a timely manner to enable the referendum. We are making comprehensive preparations to ensure the elections are conducted in a celebratory atmosphere," he added, according to the United News of Bangladesh (UNB).

He mentioned that the Bangladesh government has embraced several crucial provisions to enact the July Charter, which includes conducting a referendum on the charter’s proposed constitutional changes and subsequently establishing a Constitutional Reform Council.

Yunus’ announcement followed a warning from eight Islamist parties on Tuesday, asserting that elections cannot proceed without granting legal recognition to the July Charter. Notable among these parties are Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolon, who have raised this critical demand.

During a rally at Dhaka’s Paltan intersection on Tuesday, leading figures from the eight parties issued their warning while reiterating their demand for a referendum prior to the upcoming elections. The leaders further threatened that should their demands remain unmet, they would encircle the official residence of Muhammad Yunus.

As stated in a press release from Islami Andolon Bangladesh, the leaders of the Islamist factions expressed their concerns about the Yunus-led interim government's indecision regarding the legal status of the July charter and the necessity of holding a referendum before the election.

"Our demand is straightforward: the July uprising must receive acknowledgment. Those who deny July will not witness an election in 2026. To facilitate that election, the uprising must first be legally recognized. Without this, no polls can occur," quoted Jamaat leader Shafiqur Rahman during the rally, as reported by Bangladesh's prominent newspaper, The Daily Star.

Addressing the interim government, Islami Andolon leader Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim reiterated the party's demand for the referendum before the elections, stating, "If legal recognition [of the charter] is not granted, the election will be illegitimate. If you do not act, we will initiate a movement powerful enough to compel you to conduct the referendum before the polls."

Jamaat leader Hamidur Rahman Azad also cautioned the interim government, saying, "We do not wish to march from here to the Jamuna for a siege. Expedite the implementation of the July charter and announce the referendum schedule without delay."

Amid escalating political tensions, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has proposed conducting the referendum alongside the national elections in February 2026, while Jamaat and other Islamist parties are adamant about holding it before the elections.

Bangladesh continues to grapple with increasing uncertainty and political unrest as the elections approach next year.

The factions that previously allied with Yunus to depose the democratically elected Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina, are now at odds over reform proposals.