Bangladesh has experienced significant upheaval with institutional changes and violence over the past 24 months since the July 2024 protests. Despite the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government during the unrest, efforts to reform the system have remained incomplete. A recent report highlighted that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), now in power, refused to participate in the Constitution Reform Council, thereby rejecting the results of the February 2026 referendum.
The report emphasized that the referendum on the July National Charter received a substantial 68% “Yes” vote, granting a mandate for governance restructuring and empowering parliament to act as a constituent assembly for reforms. However, the BNP disregarded both the referendum’s outcome and the demands of the July protestors for significant political transformations. The aspirations of the July Revolution were outlined in the July National Charter of 2025, which outlined key principles for state reform, including limiting the Prime Minister’s term, upholding judicial and electoral independence, safeguarding human rights, and establishing a 100-member Upper House.
Following the election, divisions emerged between the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance regarding reform strategies. While the Jamaat and the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) advocated for immediate referendum implementation, the BNP preferred a delayed approach. A BNP representative stated that the party aimed to amend the constitution based on its 31-point plan, aligning closely with the July National Charter, diverging from the proposals of the NCP and Jamaat. Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, representing the BNP, criticized the July National Charter Implementation Order as “illegal” during a parliamentary address in April, citing the party’s compromises to avoid election disruptions under the guise of reforms.
The Diplomat highlighted the BNP’s ambiguous stance on the July reforms and referendum, suggesting a conservative approach amidst calls for radical political shifts. The party’s future choices will determine whether it moves towards liberal democracy or a more restrictive path, as critics observe the unfolding political landscape.
