(MENAFN) Bangladesh is set to conduct a referendum on constitutional amendments on the same day as the national election in February next year, interim leader Muhammad Yunus announced Thursday.

The move could pave the way for the establishment of a bicameral legislature and the revival of the caretaker administration system.

Yunus revealed the decision during a national broadcast on state television, at a time when political parties remain split and protests have erupted over the scheduling of the referendum.

“Our government had three main responsibilities: to prosecute the murders, to organize the necessary reforms to transition to an accountable and effective democratic system, and to hand over power to an elected government through fair election,” Yunus stated.

He added that the reforms are anticipated to significantly bolster governance.

The next parliamentary election in Bangladesh is slated for the first half of February 2026.

The referendum will pose four questions to voters, asking whether they endorse constitutional revisions, including the creation of a two-chamber parliament and the reinstatement of the caretaker government system to supervise power transitions under a neutral administration.

The former administration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had abolished the caretaker system, sparking prolonged political disputes.

Hasina was removed from office during an uprising on Aug. 5 and subsequently fled to India. A UN report indicated that roughly 1,400 people lost their lives during the unrest.

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