NEW DELHI, February 13. /TASS/. The majority of Bangladeshi citizens who participated in the national referendum have voted in favor of reforms and changes to the constitution, the country’s election commission announced while presenting the results of the vote count.
According to the data, a total of 48,074,429 votes were cast "for" and 22,565,627 votes "against" across the country. Voter turnout stood at 60.2%.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s interim government and 25 political parties signed a charter outlining recommendations for governing the country after the elections. The document provides for limiting a person’s tenure as prime minister to 10 years, establishing a bicameral legislature, appointing a deputy speaker from among opposition representatives, and expanding the list of fundamental rights and freedoms. Other proposals include a mandatory referendum to amend provisions concerning the interim government and the constitution.
Reforms are envisaged for constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission, the creation of an upper house of parliament with 100 members based on a proportional representation system, the obligation of the next government to implement the agreed-upon reforms, and the continuation of other transformations in line with the parties’ commitments.
The parliament elected in the polls held simultaneously with the referendum will function as a Constitutional Reform Council, tasked with completing the amendments within a set timeframe and initiating the creation of the upper house.
The 13th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh took place on February 12, 18 months after the resignation in August 2024 of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government and her Awami League party amid mass protests. For a year and a half, the country was led by an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.