There is no scope for holding a referendum before the upcoming national election, said BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.

He made the remark while speaking to journalists after a courtesy meeting with British High Commissioner Sarah Cook at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Tuesday (28 October).

Khosru said there was no possibility of holding a referendum before the national election, nor was there any scope for reopening discussions on the matter. “Both votes will be held on the same day. The BNP’s position will remain unchanged, and there is no room for decisions outside of the existing consensus,” he said.

Describing the topics discussed during the meeting, the BNP leader said that the talks focused on making the Election Commission functional and on preparations for party-based elections. “The issue of holding free and credible elections received importance in the discussion,” he said.

He mentioned that discussions were also held on whether elections could be held under a caretaker-style administration, as the demand for a non-partisan interim government has long been a public aspiration. 

Due to controversies surrounding individuals within the interim government, the idea of an election under a caretaker model has come up again. To make the Election Commission functional, the concept of a caretaker government naturally becomes relevant,” Khosru explained.

Reiterating his earlier point, he added that there was no further scope for discussions on holding a referendum and a national election on the same day. “The BNP’s position on this matter remains firm, and there is no room for decisions beyond the established consensus,” he emphasised.

He also noted that the meeting discussed the United Kingdom’s significant involvement and partnership in Bangladesh’s electoral process.

Regarding the possible return of BNP’s Acting Chairman, Khosru said, “There is nothing much to discuss about the Acting Chairman’s return. The time is not far away—he will come back at the right moment.”