I greet all students, women, men, young, and old. Assalamu Alaikum.
Last year, in August, by the power of the July upheaval, we formed the interim government. Since then, we have now reached a very important juncture in our tenure. The responsibilities entrusted to our government were primarily three: to prosecute the murders; to organize the necessary reforms for transitioning to an accountable and effective democratic system; and to transfer power to an elected government through fair elections.
We are moving forward with the prosecution of the murders organized under the direction of the then fascist government during the July mass uprising. The International Crimes Tribunal formed for this purpose is soon going to deliver its first verdict. The trial of several other cases in the Tribunal is in the final stages. Some judicial proceedings related to the July murders have started in the ordinary criminal courts. At the same time, we have started the prosecution of heinous crimes like enforced disappearances for the first time in the country’s history. I am happy to inform you that we have also made significant progress in the area of reform achieved.
The interim government has completed many important reforms on its own initiative or based on the proposals of various reform commissions. The work on some proposed reforms is still ongoing. Various reforms have been completed through ordinances or by amending existing laws regarding the independence of the judiciary, judicial management, transparency in the financial sector, increasing institutional capacity, expanding digitalization, and preventing corruption. We believe these reforms will play a big role in future good governance. We hope the next elected government will adopt these reforms through discussion in the parliament.
Another major responsibility of ours is holding a fair election. I have announced that the national parliamentary election is going to be held in the first half of next February. We are taking all preparations to ensure this election is festive, participatory, and fair. We are making every effort to properly fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to us.
Dear countrymen, the National Consensus Commission has been working tirelessly for the last nearly nine months to prepare proposals for state structure reform. During this time, the Commission held long discussions with representatives of political parties that participated in the July mass uprising. In a very cordial environment, the political parties patiently presented arguments regarding the various reform proposals put forward by the Commission. Even with differences of opinion, they tried to reduce them. They were able to reach a consensus on many issues. The countrymen were able to watch this entire process through live broadcasts. This is an unprecedented event, not just for Bangladesh’s politics, but for many countries around the world. This is promising for future politics. I sincerely thank the members of the Consensus Commission and the leaders of the political parties once again for making this extraordinary event of democratic practice successful.
A consensus has been reached among political parties on 30 important constitutional reform proposals in the July Charter drafted by the Consensus Commission. This is a historic achievement. There are slight differences of opinion on some proposals. Regarding the remaining few proposals, at first glance, there seems to be a lot of distance, which is not unusual in a democratic process. However, upon closer examination, it appears that these proposals, the differences of opinion are not actually very deep. Some wanted the reform to be done in the Constitution, and others wanted it through law, but there is no disagreement on the necessity, principle, and goal of the reform. Therefore, analyzing the July Charter correctly shows that the differences are not as stark as the public statements of the political parties might suggest are contradictory. This is our unique achievement. This encourages the nation to move forward bravely.
Considering these factors and treating the July Charter signed by the political parties as the main document, the interim government today approved the July National Charter Constitutional Reform Implementation Order 2025 in the meeting of the Advisory Council. This is big news. After the necessary signatures, it has already reached the stage of Gazette Notification. To implement the July Charter, we have adopted some important provisions in this order. These include holding a referendum on the constitutional reform proposals of the Charter and the subsequent decision to form a Constitutional Reform Council. Considering all matters, we have decided that the referendum will be organized on the same day as the upcoming national parliamentary election will be held. That is, like the national election, the referendum will also be held on the same day in the first half of February. This will not hinder the goal of reform in any way. The election will be more festive and cost-effective. Necessary laws will be enacted at an appropriate time for holding the referendum.
In light of the July Charter, we have determined the question to be presented on the referendum ballot. I am now reading the question aloud to you.
The question will be like this: Are you agreeing to the July National Charter Constitutional Reform Implementation Order 2025 and the following constitutional reform proposals recorded in the July National Charter?
On the day of the referendum, you will express your opinion on these four issues with a single question by voting yes or no.
If the majority vote in the referendum is affirmative (Yes), a Constitutional Reform Council consisting of representatives elected in the next parliamentary election will be formed. These representatives will simultaneously serve as members of the National Parliament. The Council will reform the Constitution within 180 working days from the date of the commencement of its first session. After the constitutional reform is completed, the upper house will be formed within 30 working days proportionate to the number of votes received in the parliamentary election. Its tenure will last until the last working day of the lower house. According to the commitment for implementing the July Charter, the July National Charter will be included in the Constitution. This has also been mentioned in the order approved today.
Dear countrymen, rescuing the economy from a deep pit after assuming responsibility following the uprising was a major challenge for us. Over the last 15 months, we have been able to overcome that challenge. The country has returned to a positive trajectory in all economic indicators, including exports, foreign investment, and reserves. The looted banking sector has already rebounded. Public confidence has returned. Various steps are underway to further strengthen the banking sector. Although foreign investment decreased in various countries following the uprising, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bangladesh increased by 19.13 percent in the first year after the mass uprising. This establishes a unique economic example contrary to global trends. Next week, a 30-year concession agreement is going to be signed with Denmark-based Maersk Group’s subsidiary, APM Terminals BV, for the Laldia Container Terminal project. Under this agreement, this European company will invest 550 million US dollars. This is Europe’s highest single investment in Bangladesh to date. Laldia will be the country’s first world-class Green Port.
Dear countrymen, for almost a decade and a half, our people were deprived of their voting rights. Today, they are eagerly waiting to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election. Regarding holding a fair election next February, the political parties supporting the uprising must remain united. Otherwise, the nation will face a great danger. I have expressed my apprehension about this multiple times before. The unity that the countrymen built in July 2024, standing tall in the face of death against fascism—we, the living, must not compromise its dignity by getting entangled in minor disagreements and petty conflicts. We must honor the sacrifice of 133 children, hundreds of young men and women, and the thousands who were injured. What the general populace of the country simply wants is that in deference to the memory of these countless casualties, we all show tolerance towards differing opinions. By overcoming party interests and upholding collective aspirations and national demands, therefore, I hope that the political parties will accept this decision of ours in the greater interest of the nation, towards a festive national election.