Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has told parliament that while the government respects the referendum verdict, implementing it requires a formal constitutional amendment rather than action through what he described as an imposed and legally questionable presidential order.
"A state does not run on emotion. It runs on the constitution, laws and legal frameworks," the minister said during an unscheduled discussion in parliament on Sunday, responding to Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman's concerns about the government's failure to convene the Constitutional Reform Council within the mandated 30-day deadline.
Salahuddin Ahmed began by questioning whether proper parliamentary procedure had been followed, noting that raising urgent matters of public importance requires notice under Rules 62 or 68 of the Rules of Procedure.
Addressing the July National Charter Implementation Order issued on November 13, 2025, the minister said the presidential order is neither an ordinance nor a law. He explained that while Article 93(1) of the constitution allows the President to issue ordinances when parliament is not in session, matters involving constitutional change or amendment cannot be introduced through such instruments.
He described the order as an "imposed" document and argued that taking oaths as Constitutional Reform Council members or demanding the President convene its session based on this order is unconstitutional.
On the referendum, Salahuddin Ahmed said the government respects the people's verdict but questioned the process. He alleged that certain questions were forcefully inserted into the referendum that were not part of the original political consensus under the July Charter. He also criticized the ballot structure, saying voters were given a single yes or no option for four separate questions, which he called unreasonable.
Outlining the legal pathway forward, the minister said implementing the referendum verdict requires amending the constitution first. Only after such provisions are constitutionally incorporated can matters like the reform council's oath and operations proceed.
He expressed doubt that a constitutional amendment bill could be introduced during the current session, noting that 133 ordinances were placed before parliament on its first day and must be resolved within 30 days amid upcoming holidays. However, he suggested that if the Business Advisory Committee agrees, a constitutional amendment bill could be introduced during the budget session.
"I am not denying anything. The people's verdict must be respected, but it must be done constitutionally and legally. There is no room for emotion here," he said.
The minister invited the Opposition Leader to discuss the matter at the Business Advisory Committee, reaffirming the government's commitment to honoring the July Charter as a political consensus document. "Let us adopt bills through consensus in parliament and move the state forward constitutionally," he said.
