Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman has commented that the mandate of the July coup is at risk due to lack of coordination between the Election Commission (EC) and the interim government.

He made the remarks while presenting a report titled ‘Referendum and Pre-Election Situation: TIB Observations’ at a press conference held at the TIB office in Dhanmondi, the capital, on Sunday (February 8).

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that lack of coordination between the EC and the government, legal confusion, and political pressure have become major obstacles in the path of implementing the popular desire for state reform expressed through the July coup.

He said that in the context of holding a referendum of historic importance, unwise decisions, unclear legal interpretations, and lack of institutional capacity are creating confusion in the public mind, which is questioning the credibility of the entire process.

The TIB Executive Director said that the Election Commission is showing visible weakness in effectively implementing the constitutional responsibilities and powers entrusted to it. The commission is failing to take a firm stand in many areas due to pressure from political parties. Despite widespread violations and irregularities of the code of conduct in both online and offline spaces, the EC is unable to take effective action.

He further said that a section of the administration and law enforcement agencies are also playing a passive role in ensuring a neutral and influence-free environment. In addition, incidents of harassment and threats to data collectors at the field level are also worrying.

The TIB executive director also commented that controlling propaganda, hate speech and personal attacks on digital platforms has become a major challenge for the EC. He said that global technology companies like Google and Meta are not playing an effective role in removing content that violates their policies.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that business interests or ‘money dependency’ are playing a major role in these institutions. Due to their lack of adequate and institutional communication or coordination with the Election Commission, the necessary education for the future electoral process is not being received.

He also expressed deep concern about the government’s role in the referendum issue. He said that the government was in a vacillating position from the beginning due to the opposing positions of the dominant political parties. The ordinance that has been issued in an attempt to satisfy both sides has further obscured the question and purpose of the referendum.

He said the decision to hold the election and referendum on the same day has unnecessarily complicated the issue. The Election Commission is considering referendum as synonymous with ‘election’. However, according to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), referendum is in no way synonymous with election, as it does not involve voting for any individual or seat.

“After the announcement of the schedule, even though government employees are legally under the control of the Election Commission, the government has created controversy by directing them to campaign in favor of the referendum. It was necessary to obtain the consent of the EC before taking such a decision.”

He said the EC has played a virtually passive role in this case, relying on incorrect interpretations of the law. In addition, there are serious questions about imposing decisions on various institutions, including banks and NGOs, and the transparency of financing and expenditure in conducting the referendum.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that the main basis of the referendum should be the ‘July Charter’ stemming from the July coup. It is important to implement fundamental constitutional reforms by utilizing this historical opportunity.

On behalf of TIB, he proposed a number of specific reforms. These include amending Article 20(2) of the Constitution to criminalize abuse of power, giving constitutional status to the Anti-Corruption Commission, increasing women’s representation in parliament to 100 seats, and ensuring at least 33 percent female candidates are nominated.

He also demanded that members of parliament be given the opportunity to vote against their own party on issues other than money bills and no-confidence motions through an amendment to Article 70 of the Constitution, and that opposition party members be appointed as deputy speakers and chairmen of important parliamentary committees.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman further said that there is no alternative but to ensure full independence of all state institutions, including the judiciary, to establish accountable democracy and good governance as per the original expectations of the July Uprising. He urged the countrymen to say ‘no’ to corruption and clearly ‘yes’ to state reforms in light of the July Charter.