Jamaat-e-Islami leader Hamidur Rahman Azad has said that the upcoming national election will only be free, fair, and acceptable if held on the basis of the July Charter.

Speaking after a consensus commission meeting chaired by the Chief Adviser, Azad stated that there are two possible ways to implement the charter:

Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) – which has historical precedent in the country.

Referendum – also rooted in Bangladesh’s political history.

Highlighting the government’s earlier commitments, Azad said:

First, reforms were promised.

Second, justice for war crimes and genocide.

Third, a festive, historic, and credible election.

“We want to believe that under the Chief Adviser’s guidance, a level playing field will be ensured in the next election,” Azad remarked.

However, he expressed concerns over recent central student union polls, citing irregularities in both the electoral process and result announcements. “We see this as a negative signal. If such trends continue, they could affect the upcoming national election as well,” he warned.

Azad urged that the reforms process under the July Charter be brought to a dignified conclusion. He also called for the extension of the Consensus Commission’s tenure, expressing hope that it would be finalized under the leadership of Professor Ali Riaz.