In a blistering critique, Bangladesh’s Awami League has denounced Muhammad Yunus’s interim government’s referendum plan as a constitutional travesty. Pegged to February 12 elections, the secretive vote on reforms is accused of misleading the public and desecrating democratic norms.
The party’s ire stems from the regime’s origins: the orchestrated July 2024 chaos that toppled elected rulers. Awami League alleges foreign funding, Islamist militant support, and military factions engineered this ‘takedown,’ foisting an illegitimate authority on the nation.
Article 7 of the constitution unambiguously places power in the people’s hands, enabling referendums for direct expression. Yet, concealing 30 reform proposals guts this mechanism, Awami League argues—transforming a sacred tool into a deceptive farce.
They pose a stark question: How can one solicit opinions without context? Voters facing ballots blind to content face an absurdity that insults intellect and abrogates rights to informed choice, transparency, and engagement.
This pattern, the party claims, reveals a regime systematically undermining safeguards. Backed by radicals and outsiders, it’s racing to obliterate constitutional democracy. The hidden reforms ploy isn’t oversight—it’s engineered fraud against Bangladesh’s citizenry.
As divisions sharpen pre-elections, Awami League rallies against what it sees as existential threats to sovereignty. This referendum row isn’t peripheral; it’s a litmus test for Bangladesh’s democratic soul. Victory for transparency could herald renewal; defeat might entrench autocracy’s grip.