Bangladesh to hold referendum on reform charter but what is it? Capping of PM's tenure, constitutional recognition of student uprising and more

In his address to the nation on Thursday (Nov 13), head of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, said that his country will hold a national referendum on implementing its 'July Charter' for state reform, drafted after last year's deadly student-led uprising that led to the ouster of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina. He also reiterated that parliamentary elections will be held in February and that they would be free and fair.

In a 20-minute televised address, Yunus said that the national election and the referendum on the July charter will be held on the same day. He also said that a 100-member upper house will be formed through proportional representation, based on each party's share of votes in the national polls. The address came after Yunus' administration had warned on November 3 that parties must resolve their differences within a week or it would "act as necessary."

What is in July Charter?

The July Charter seeks to reshape the country's politics and institutions and give constitutional recognition to the 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina. It calls for constitutional recognition of the 2024 uprising, and state protection/recognition for those killed or injured in it. It proposes creation of a bicameral legislature and limit the term of the PM. It proposes to make the charter legally binding. A majority of political parties had signed the charter in October but the National Citizens Party, formed by the leaders of last year's movement and four left-leaning parties, had boycotted it. The NCP said it stayed away due to the lack of a legal framework or binding guarantee for implementing the commitments made in the charter, Reuters reported. Supporters see the charter as a foundation for institutional reform. Critics say its impact could be largely symbolic without a legal framework or parliamentary consensus.

Verdict against Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina on Nov 17

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi judges will issue the hugely anticipated verdict in the crimes against humanity trial of fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on November 17, the chief prosecutor said. Hasina, 78, has defied court orders to return from India to attend her trial on charges of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed attempt to suppress a student-led uprising that saw her removal. "Justice will be served according to the law," chief prosecutor Tajul Islam told reporters. “We have completed a long journey and are now in its final phase. The court will pronounce the verdict on the 17th.” Hasina's trial in absentia, which began on June 1, heard months of testimony alleging she ordered mass killings. According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 in her failed bid to hold on to power.