Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today called on citizens to vote "Yes" in the upcoming referendum, saying the responsibility of building a new Bangladesh now lies in the hands of the people.
In a televised message, Yunus described the July Uprising as an extraordinary achievement in the nation’s history, creating an opportunity to establish democracy, justice, and human rights.
“Vote ‘Yes’ to build the state according to your expectations. By choosing ‘Yes,’ you open the door to creating a new Bangladesh. Cast your vote, encourage others to do the same, bring them to the polling stations, and help transform the country,” he said.
Prof Yunus explained that the referendum, scheduled for February 12 alongside the national election, is intended to secure public consent for the July Charter, a reform framework formulated with consensus from all political parties.
“To this end, several reforms have already been undertaken. For more profound and far-reaching reforms, we have formulated the July Charter based on the consensus of all political parties in the country,” Prof Yunus said.
He said a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum means the government and the opposition will work together to form a caretaker government and an Election Commission.
A ‘Yes’ vote also means that the government won't be able to amend the constitution at will, he added.
He said a person will not be able to serve as prime minister for more than a maximum of 10 years, and the judiciary will function independently. “The representation of women in parliament will increase. An upper house will be formed in parliament to maintain a balance of power.”
Prof Yunus said a ‘Yes’ vote means people’s fundamental rights will be better protected; the state language, Bengali, will be constitutionally recognised, along with the languages of other ethnic groups.
“The president will not be able to pardon convicted criminals at will. All power will not be concentrated in the hands of the prime minister. There are several other important proposals included as well,” he explained, outlining why people should vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum.