Desk Report:
Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor and Chief Coordinator of the Referendum Campaign, has clarified that there is no legal obstacle for government officials to campaign for “Yes” in the referendum.
He said that those who donated blood in July, whose relatives are still searching for their unclaimed bodies, gave their lives only to establish human rights. This referendum is a big step towards establishing those rights. Nowhere in the existing constitution, RPO, July National Charter Implementation Order 2025 or the ordinance related to this referendum says that employees of the republic cannot speak in favor of positive change. No one can show any reference that there are legal obstacles in the campaign. Those who are campaigning on the basis of obstacles in this regard are spreading confusion with different objectives.
To those who are raising questions about whether government officials can ethically campaign for the referendum, Ali Riaz countered, “What morality are you talking about – a morality that denies the blood of young people, their sacrifice?”
He said these things in his speech as the chief guest at the Sylhet divisional exchange meeting to promote the referendum and motivate voters.
The Sylhet divisional administration organized the meeting at the Sylhet Divisional Sports Complex on Saturday (January 24, 2026) morning. Government officials working in the divisional headquarters, districts and upazilas, and representatives of various non-governmental organizations participated in it.
Criticizing the view of those who consider the current interim government a caretaker government, the special assistant said that this interim government stands on the legitimacy gained through the July coup. It is not a caretaker government at all. He further said that the current interim government is working with three mandates – reform, justice and elections. The government does not organize elections; The government creates a favorable environment, and the election is conducted by the Election Commission. Similarly, the courts will conduct justice, the government is only ensuring a conducive environment to keep the justice process smooth. Therefore, the main mandate of the government is state reform.
Ali Riaz, stating that such a referendum as many claim has not happened before, said that before this, 48 referendums have been held in different countries of the world from 1972 to 2024, in most of which the government has campaigned for a yes vote in the referendum. Therefore, it is an internationally acceptable system, morally it is our duty and responsibility, and legally there is no obstacle to it, he said.
Ali Riaz, stating that there are so many questions, so many issues in the referendum, that the common people will not understand it – saying that the common people will not understand it – said, ‘The common people can liberate the country through the Liberation War, they can do the mass uprising of 1969, the mass uprising of 24, but when it comes to the question of human rights, the people will not understand it – I do not agree with that.’ He said that people are being disrespected and humiliated through this.
Ali Riaz said, those who were crushed by the millstone of the past authoritarian system, who gave their lives while struggling against injustice and oppression, who endured imprisonment, oppression, disappearances, murder and extrajudicial killings, have given us a responsibility. Ali Riaz said, this responsibility is that we should fulfill our responsibility so that Bangladesh can develop into an accountable state system in the coming days.
Referring to the immense sole power of the Prime Minister in the existing state system, Ali Riaz said, the committee that the then government formed to amend the constitution in 2011 decided in 25 meetings that the caretaker government would continue with some changes. But in just one meeting of the committee with the then Prime Minister, the decision to abolish the caretaker government was taken. The entire caretaker government system was abolished at the will of a single person.
He said, although the election commission, the work commission or the appointment of judges as constitutional institutions are supposed to be done by the president, in reality everything is done according to the will of the prime minister. This special assistant to the chief advisor said, the July Charter and the referendum have been organized to stop this childish game with the authority of a single person and the constitution.
Special assistant to the chief advisor Monir Haider said, there is no possibility of the previous fascist ruler returning, but there is a possibility of fascism returning if we do not block the road. Many parents’ children lost their lives in the mass uprising of 24. If fascism returns next time, then my child and your child may lose their lives. He said, this referendum is being held to break this cycle of fascism returning.
Monir Haider said, this referendum is aimed at implementing the main desire we had in the great liberation war in 1971. He said, the goals and objectives of the Liberation War mentioned in the Declaration of Independence were later not included in the basic principles of the Constitution. We have not been able to establish the equality, human dignity and justice mentioned in the Declaration even after 54 years of independence.
Mentioning that this referendum is a golden opportunity to build the country in the light of the original spirit of independence, Monir Haider called on government officials to play a role from their respective positions so that everyone can utilize this opportunity.
Special guest at the meeting, Religious Affairs Secretary Md. Kamal Uddin mentioned the responsibility of the employees of the republic to campaign for the yes vote in the referendum and said that if the yes vote is won in the referendum, we will be able to leave a beautiful Bangladesh for our children.
Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Khan Md. Reza-un-Nabi presided over the meeting, and the Vice Chancellor of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, A. M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury, Sylhet Range DIG Md. Mushfequr Rahman, Sylhet Police Commissioner Abdul Quddus Chowdhury, eminent lawyer and constitutional expert Barrister Nazir Ahmed, among others, addressed the meeting.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Commissioners of the districts of Sylhet Division, the Superintendent of Police, top officials of various departments, religious leaders, civil society, business representatives and NGO representatives.
Source: Press Wing of the Chief Advisor.
