In a democratic state, when a referendum is held, its most essential elements are direct public participation and the neutral role of the state. The state organizes the process, ensures a secure voting environment, guarantees voter safety, and creates conditions for free expression of opinion—but the state must never side with any particular outcome.
In present-day Bangladesh, however, we are witnessing a terrifying reality. An illegal and constitutionally questionable Yunus government, acting in support of forces hostile to Bangladesh, is turning the people’s sovereign power into a tool for its own political interests. By using state resources, administrative machinery, media platforms, and official authority, it has actively campaigned for the “Yes” side in the referendum—an extreme and blatant violation of the Constitution.
The Constitution of Bangladesh clearly mandates state neutrality.
Article 7(1):
“All powers in the Republic belong to the people…”
In a referendum, this power rests directly with the people. When the state itself becomes an active participant for political gain, the people’s sovereign authority is effectively stolen.
Article 11:
“The Republic shall be a democracy… effective participation of the people shall be ensured.”
“Effective participation” means equal opportunity, free expression of opinion, and administrative neutrality. But the current Yunus government is imposing executive interference over these principles. It is using the administration as a political tool, converting public funds into instruments of propaganda, and turning the media into a one-sided campaign platform.
Article 21(1):
“All persons in the service of the Republic shall be bound to observe the Constitution and the law.”
By ignoring loyalty to the Constitution and the law and using the administration to advance its own political objectives, the government is not merely violating the Constitution—it is conspiring to destroy the backbone of democracy.
The institutional framework for conducting a referendum also rejects state bias:
Article 118(1):
“There shall be an Election Commission…”
Article 126:
“All executive authorities shall assist the Election Commission in the discharge of its functions.”
“Assistance” means administrative support—organizing polling, ensuring voter and center security—not active campaigning for a particular result. Yet the current government has brazenly ignored the neutrality of the Election Commission and openly campaigned for the “Yes” side, an act equivalent to hammering nails into democracy’s coffin.
The Referendum Ordinance, 1978 recognizes the Election Commission as the sole authority in this process. The Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972 explicitly prohibits the political use of state resources.
The Yunus government, controlled by forces opposed to Bangladesh, has completely disregarded these principles. On the surface, this may appear to be merely a legal violation. In reality, it is a conspiracy against the state itself, devaluing the Constitution and the rights of the people.
Most alarming is the role of the judiciary. The Constitution establishes the courts as guardians of the Constitution:
Article 102:
“The High Court Division shall have power to give remedies against actions inconsistent with the Constitution and the law.”
Yet when pro–Liberation War lawyers filed a writ petition (No. 1201/2026) and the High Court dismissed it, it became clear that judicial independence too has been compromised under this government. Lawyers aligned with BNP–Jamaat, along with the Office of the Attorney General, directly interfered in court proceedings. If the judiciary cannot remain free from government influence, then democracy’s last line of defense collapses.
Internationally, even in countries where governments participate in referendum campaigns, there are clear campaign rules, equal funding for both “Yes” and “No” sides, media regulation, and transparent structures. Bangladesh has none of these. Here, state intervention has turned the referendum into a biased exercise, undermined the rule of law, and destroyed public trust.
It is now evident that the current state-destroying Yunus government is launching a direct assault on democracy and the Constitution, actively working to hollow out the state. By using public resources, the administration, and the media, it has transformed the referendum into a political conspiracy. Judicial silence has further strengthened this plot. There is no longer any room to dismiss this as political gamesmanship.
This is not merely an election or a referendum—it is a dire warning for Bangladesh’s democratic framework and a blueprint for the complete dismantling of the state.
Democracy survives on trust, the rule of law, and state neutrality. The true essence of a referendum is preserved only when the state steps back, the people step forward, and the judiciary plays its independent and impartial role. The current illegal and unconstitutional Yunus government has completely inverted these fundamental principles, placing the people and the Constitution of the country in a profoundly destructive crisis.
Silencing the people’s voice, using state resources for partisan propaganda, and allowing the justice system to collapse under political influence are all equivalent to breaking democracy’s spine.
You do not have to be a member of the Awami League. But if you believe in Bangladesh’s independence, sovereignty, and democracy—if you respect the country’s freedom and existence—then reject this farcical election and theatrical referendum. Participating in it means betraying the state of Bangladesh. This is no longer a vote; it is a conspiracy to destroy the Bangladeshi state.
