There are five referendums were held in this territory from 1947 to 1991. However, in each referendum, there was only one question for the public. In each referendum, the answer to the question was given in a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ box. This is the traditional practice and similar rules followed over the world. Moreover, during our primary and secondary school education system followed a question and solution with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. The first referendum hold on July 6 and 7 after the partition of the country in 1947. The question was “Shall Sylhet district (excluding Karimganj sub-division) be under Assam, India or East Bengal?” When the majority of the people voted in favor of Sylhet district remaining under East Bengal in the referendum, the appropriate decision made and Sylhet district was included under Pakistan. On February 14, 1960, military ruler General Ayyub Khan held a ‘Yes or No’ vote to extend his term as president by five years. Almost eighty voters of the Basic Democracy (including the Union Council chairmen and members) voted ‘Yes’ with fake note, allowing Ayyub Khan’s term to be extended by five years. The first referendum hold in independent Bangladesh on May 30, 1977. The question in the referendum was “Should the country return to a presidential system of government?” There was an opportunity to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, but despite the lack of public interest, the referendum resulted in a ‘Yes’ victory. The second referendum hold in Bangladesh on March 21, 1985. The question was “Should the country change from a military regime to a democratic regime?” Even if the public is not interested in the referendum, the democratic system of governance is attributed a victory in the interest of preserving the rules of the old system. The last referendum hold on September 15, 1991. The question in the referendum was “Should the constitution include a caretaker government system?” The election resulted in a “Yes” victory.
The biggest difference between the referendum to be held on February 12, 2026 and the past five referendums is the question posed to the people for the referendum. In the past, each referendum had the option to vote against only one question, but in the next referendum, the number of questions will be four, which is completely new and ridiculous. Because most of the people of the country cannot be limited to just ‘Yes or No’ answers to four questions. The rule of having everyone vote in favor of all four conditions, where anyone can accept one or two or three or four conditions, is a kind of coercion, a bit like giving children herbal medicine by pinching their noses.
In the international arena, the referendum that is taking place in Thailand on 8 February 2026 also had only one question, and that was whether the old constitution would remain in force or a new constitution would be written’. The answer was yes or No. However, it is unreasonable to assume that if someone files a writ against the referendum in the High Court after the new government formed, it may not be impossible to change the results of the referendum. Because Dr. Muntasir Mamun thoughtfully wrote“Sob SombhberDesh: Bangladesh.
“Mirza Bahadur
Political analyst and columnist
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