Alongside the 13th national parliament election, a nationwide referendum was held for the fourth time.
Observers visiting nearly 20 polling centers in Dhaka-6, Dhaka-7, and Dhaka-4 constituencies found that most voters had little understanding of the referendum, and even those who did were unable to fully explain its purpose.
At the Tikatuli Kamrunnesa Government Girls’ High School center in Dhaka-6, voter Farida Yasmin, asked if she understood the referendum, said in one word: “Roughly.” Many voters could not clearly explain what a referendum is or why it was being conducted.
Iti Afroze, another voter at the same center, said: “The referendum is in favor of reform, for the good of the country,” but could not elaborate further.
Voter Ikramul Kabir added: “The referendum is to support July and ensure that the elected government cannot make decisions unilaterally.”
At the Viqarunnesa Noon School and College centre in Dhaka-7, first-time voter Atiya Rahman said in response to a question about the referendum: “If it is for the country, then ‘yes’.” She could not provide further explanation.
Presiding officers note limited awareness
Presiding officers at multiple centers told Dhaka Tribune that voters rarely ask them questions about the referendum, and polling stations do not offer a separate forum to discuss it.
Tofayel Hossain Molla, presiding officer at Nawabpur Government High School in Dhaka-6, said, “There was little campaigning about the referendum. Candidates were busy with their own parliamentary campaigns, and voters’ attention was largely on the national election.”
BNP candidate Engineer Ishrak Hossain voted at the Tikatuli Kamrunnesa Government Girls’ High School centre at noon, although he was scheduled to vote at 7:30 a.m. After voting, he said, “Voting is happening in a festive atmosphere. BNP will win.”
High female voter turnout, disabled and elderly participate
Observers noted a comparatively higher presence of female voters at various centers. Disabled and elderly voters were also seen standing in line to cast their ballots.
What is a referendum
A referendum is a process of directly seeking public opinion on significant state matters, presenting a proposal for final acceptance or rejection.
The first referendum in Bangladesh was held on May 30, 1977, to gauge public support for President Ziaur Rahman and his policies. It recorded 98.8% ‘yes’ votes and 1.12% ‘no’ votes.
The second referendum was conducted on March 21, 1985, to assess confidence in then-President Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s policies and whether he should remain in office until the next election. It saw 94.11% ‘yes’ votes and 5.50% ‘no’ votes.
The third referendum, held on September 15, 1991, under Article 142(1)(a) of the Constitution, asked: “Should the President give assent to the Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Bill, 1991 of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh?” This referendum sought public opinion on the future governance system of the country. It recorded 84% ‘yes’ votes and 15.62% ‘no’ votes.
