Dhaka, Nov 14 (V7N) — Islamic scholar and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Amir Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque has expressed disappointment over Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus’ announcement that the national election and referendum will be held on the same day. Speaking in an interview on the “Thikana Khaled Muhiuddin Talk Show” broadcast on November 13, Mamunul Haque said the decision may weaken public interest in the referendum, which he believes is essential for shaping the country’s future governance framework outlined in the July Charter.

He noted that national elections naturally involve intense competition between candidates and parties. According to him, holding a referendum simultaneously risks diverting voter attention from critical national issues and may reduce engagement with the referendum questions.

Mamunul Haque appeared as the exclusive guest on the program, which was aired live at 11 a.m. New York time (9 p.m. Bangladesh time) on the Thikana Khaled Muhiuddin YouTube channel. He discussed a wide range of topics—including the July Charter, the Chief Adviser’s national address, the election, alliance politics, governance, and women’s rights—in response to questions from the show’s host and Chief Editor of Thikana TV, Khaled Muhiuddin.

He stated that although the eight-party alliance—of which his party is a member—has been demanding a referendum before the national election as part of the July Charter movement, no final decision has yet been made regarding joint action following the government’s announcement. The alliance will meet and decide collectively, he added.

Mamunul Haque acknowledged what he described as partial progress, pointing out that the government has issued an order concerning the July Charter, giving it a preliminary legal foundation. He said many important issues were also included in the referendum question format, which he views as another step forward.

However, he criticized the Yunus-led interim government for what he called a “lack of firmness,” claiming it has shown excessive dependence on NGOs and has failed to fully realize the potential of the July movement. According to him, the government could have implemented the ideals of the July Charter much earlier if it had acted decisively.

Regarding the upcoming national election, Mamunul Haque said Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis intends to field candidates in all 300 constituencies without entering into formal alliances. He mentioned ongoing constituency-based discussions with several Islamist parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, but clarified that his party has no electoral understanding with the BNP this time.

He argued that Islamist parties typically align with the BNP during elections only when Awami League is a participating contender. Since that dynamic has changed this year, he said there is no strategic necessity for such cooperation.

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