Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Dr. Shafiqul Islam Masud has said that if the constitution were properly upheld, the current Prime Minister and Home Minister would have to stay abroad. Speaking in Parliament on March 30, 2026, during the discussion on the President’s address, the Patuakhali-2 MP argued that under the 1972 Constitution, the Prime Minister should not be in Bangladesh. He warned that if the government continues to deny the referendum, the people of Bangladesh would rise again to implement it.

Masud criticized the government for alleged constitutional inconsistencies and questioned its commitment to justice, citing the unresolved case of Sharif Osman Hadi’s murder. He also described personal experiences of arrest and detention, claiming political repression under the current administration. Referring to the July Charter and referendum issues, he accused the ruling party of betraying the public’s mandate.

He further stated that rejecting the referendum would mean disregarding the will of about 70 percent of the people and warned that such denial could lead to renewed unrest and repression similar to past years.