PTI
Dhaka
A referendum on the implementation of a reform package saw a 60.26 per cent voter turnout in Bangladesh, with the ‘yes’ vote winning a clear majority, the Election Commission announced Friday.
The voting for the 13th parliamentary elections was held on Thursday along with the referendum on the complex 84-point reform package, known as the July National Charter.
The referendum saw a 60.26 per cent voter turnout, the Election Commission (EC) said.
As per the official figures, 4,80,74,429 votes were cast in favour of “yes”, while 2,25,65,627 voters chose “no”, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said while talking to reporters at the EC.
The referendum had sought people’s consent to the July National Charter 2025, which Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus announced on October 17 after protracted consultations between the political parties and the National Consensus Commission that he headed.
The referendum ballot featured a single question covering four major reform areas of the July Charter and the voters were instructed to vote ‘yes’ if they agreed more strongly with the proposals and ‘no’ if they disagreed.
Voting was held in 299 out of 300 constituencies as polling in one constituency was suspended following the death of a candidate.
Results of the national parliamentary election have so far been announced in 297 constituencies after the High Court imposed a bar on declaring results in two seats, the EC said.
However, the EC officials said there was no legal bar on announcing the referendum results in those two constituencies.
The referendum votes from the two seats were included in the final tally, making 60.26 per cent voter turnout, the EC added.
According to the unofficial results announced by the Election Commission, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has bagged 209 out of 297 seats, while right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats.
The Awami League party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was barred from contesting the polls, which recorded 59.44 per cent voter turnout. During the consultation process, the BNP had taken part but did not agree to all the proposals and even said the next parliament alone should make such decisions.
Out of the 84 proposals mentioned in the July Charter, 47 required massive constitutional amendments, while 37 could be implemented through ordinary legislation.
News portal BDNews24 said while the Charter outlines a total of 84 reform points related to state restructuring, the National Consensus Commission has classified those beyond constitutional amendments as reforms to be implemented through laws, ordinances, regulations and executive orders.
