A widely debated reform is underway based on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform), which will be implemented if the upcoming referendum is passed.
However, most people are unaware of the provisions of the July Charter. According to a recent survey, 77.2 percent of respondents do not know what is included in the July Charter, while only 37.2 percent are aware of its contents.
The findings come from a pre-election public opinion survey conducted by the Institute of Informatics and Development (IID) in collaboration with Youth for Policy.
A press conference was held on Tuesday at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the capital Tribune to present the results of the survey.
A recent national survey reveals that just 37.2% of respondents say they know the contents of the July Charter, highlighting widespread uncertainty.
The results show significant disparities among different groups. Among voters over the age of 35, only 23.2% said they were familiar with the certificate, compared with 45.7% of those aged 18 to 35. Geographic differences were also evident: 41.4% of urban residents said they knew what was in the certificate, compared with 32.4% of rural respondents.
Education level appeared to be a major factor. Only 8.4% of respondents with no formal education said they knew the contents, while 77.2% admitted they did not.
A recent survey has revealed a weak understanding of key reform issues among the public. Only 43.1% of respondents said they were aware of proposed changes regarding fundamental rights, while 55.3% admitted they were unaware. Lack of awareness was particularly pronounced among older adults and individuals with lower levels of education.
The survey also highlighted a major pre-election concern: the ability to read and understand the language used on ballots. Nationally, 72.4% of respondents said they could easily read and comprehend the ballot. However, the figure fell to 57.4% among those over 35 and dropped further to just 26.6% among respondents with no formal education.
Public confidence in government neutrality during elections also showed significant uncertainty. While 47.9% of respondents believed the government is neutral, 11.3% disagreed. Meanwhile, 33.7% said they did not know, with the proportion rising to 39.7% among women. Another 7.1% of respondents declined to answer.
At a press conference, Syeed Ahamed, founder and CEO of IID stated, “We are heading towards a referendum with a lot of uncertainty. There is still time to vote knowledgeably. Our only expectation from the government is to ensure inclusivity and security in the election.”
Referring to the July movement, he added, “We are approaching the election in the context of the July movement. However, amid the election atmosphere, we are not seeing elements of anti-discrimination. In many ways, we are moving towards a referendum without fully understanding the implications.”
Commenting on the survey results, the IID director said, “Yes, many people are unclear about what will happen if the referendum passes or fails. About 29.6 percent of respondents lack a clear understanding of the consequences if it passes. Similarly, 33.6 percent have no idea what will happen if it fails.”