DHAKA, Nov 13, 2025 (BSS)- The government today published the gazette of the “July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025”.

The Order mandates the government for a referendum on the provisions of the July National Charter relating to reforms of the Constitution.

The Order and its constitution-reform issues will be submitted for referendum to “exercise the sovereign power of the people”, the notification said.

The referendum will be held in accordance with the Order on the day of the national parliament election.

The charter envisages the creation of a bicameral parliament with an upper house of 100 members, representing the political parties proportionally according the vote they got in the polls.

The Order has made as many as 30 proposals including limiting the term of the Prime Minister in office, empowering the President and electing Deputy Speaker from the opposition bench, and increasing the number of female seats in the parliament, suggesting that execution of the proposals will be obligatory for the winning political parties of the coming parliamentary elections.
Referendum will be held through ballot and each voter will vote secretly on the ballot determined by the Election Commission.

According to the gazette an appropriate law will be enacted for holding the referendum and the Election Commission will take required measures to this end. 

Earlier, President of Bangladesh Md Shahabuddin, has signed the Order, the notification said. 

In the ballot of the referendum the following question shall be placed before the voters: 

“Do you have consent to the July National Charter (Constitution Reforms) Implementation Order, 2025 and the following proposals related to constitutional reform mentioned in the July National Charter?”; (Yes/No):

(a) For election, a Caretaker Government, an Election Commission and other constitutional institutions shall be constituted according to the July Charter.

(b) The next National Parliament shall be bicameral. A 100 member Upper House shall be constituted with proportional representation of the votes received by the political parties in the National Parliament elections. Approval by the majority members of the Upper House will be mandatory for any amendment to the constitution.

(c) The winning parties in the next parliamentary election will be obliged to execute 30 proposals of the July National Charter on various issues which include- increasing the representation of females in the parliament, election of the deputy speaker and chairpersons of several parliamentary committees from the opposition bench, limiting the term of the Prime Minister, empowerment of the President, fundamental rights, independence of the judiciary, local government, etc. on which the political parties have reached consensus in the July National Charter. 

(d) The other reforms mentioned in the July National Charter shall be implemented as promised by the political parties.

According to the Order, if the majority of votes indicate ‘yes’, then a Constitutional Reform Council will be formed with the elected representatives of the national parliament which can exercise every power to reform the constitution.

The representatives elected at the said election shall simultaneously serve as members of the Jatiya Sangsad and as members of the Constitution Reform Council. 
 

The Council shall complete the constitution reform in accordance with the July National Charter and the results of the referendum within 180 (one hundred and eighty) working days from the date of commencement of its first session of the parliament. The activities of the Council shall be closed after completion of the constitution reform. 

For fulfillment of the purpose of this Order, the Council shall determine the rules of procedure of convening and adjourning its sessions, raising proposals for constitution reform, consideration and adoption of the reform proposals and other matters.

The Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat shall provide secretarial assistance to the Council.

The elected representatives shall, after taking oath as members of the Parliament, will swear-in again as members of the Constitution Reform Council in the same oath-taking ceremony. 

The same person, who will administer the oath of the Parliament Members, will also administer oath of the Constitution Reform Council.

At the first meeting of the first session of the Council, the members of the Council shall elect its Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson; and until such election, the eldest member of the Council shall, with the consent of the majority of the members, act as the Chairman of the meeting.

In the absence of both the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman, any member of the Council shall act as the Chairman.

According to the Order, the first session of the Council shall be convened within 30 calendar days of the declaration of the results of the elections.

The presence of at least 60 members of the Council shall be required for conducting the proceedings of the Council.

A decision shall be taken by a majority vote of the total members of the Council for the approval of any proposal relating to constitutional amendments. 

On other matters, decisions shall be taken by a majority vote of the members present. 

In case of an equal number of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

In accordance with the Order, the validity of any proceedings of the Council and the special rights and immunity of the members of the Council shall be the same as those of the Jatiya Sangsad and the Members of the Parliament.

Measures shall be taken to incorporate the July National Charter into the Constitution in accordance with the commitment of the political parties to implement the July National Charter.

All reforms that can be implemented immediately after the completion of the constitutional reforms in accordance with sub-paragraph (1)(c) of Article 7 of this Order shall be implemented immediately and in this regard, and the government shall take all appropriate measures.
 
An Upper House of the Jatiya Sangsad shall be constituted on the basis of proportional representation (PR) of the votes obtained by the political parties in the Lower House and its terms of reference shall be determined within 30 (thirty) working days after the completion of the constitutional reforms.

The tenure of the Upper House will be effective from the date of its taking the oath of the members to the last day of the tenure of the Lower House of the Jatiya Sangsad.

It shall not be necessary to publish the list of candidates for the Upper House of the Jatiya Sangsad at the time of the parliamentary elections to be held immediately after the promulgation of this order.
The Council may frame necessary provisions and the Government may issue necessary instructions for the purpose of removing any obstacle to the formation of the Upper House. 

According to the Order, the constitution reform adopted by the Council shall be final and no other approval or consent shall be required for such reforms.

The full text of the constitution reform adopted by the Council and the full text of the reformed Constitution shall be published by the Government in the Official Gazette forthwith.

The Government may issue directives for the implementation of the provisions of this Order.