Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has urged the Chief Adviser to give legal effect to the July Charter through a special executive order instead of a presidential or ordinance-based move.

After a meeting with the Chief Adviser on Wednesday evening, Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told reporters that the Chief Adviser assured them he would look into the matter. “We believe a special order is the best way to give the July Charter legal standing and to hold the next national election based on it,” he said, adding that Jamaat does not support implementing it under a presidential order.

Dr Taher argued that passing it through an ordinance would be a weaker process as it would be difficult to give it constitutional legitimacy later. “The referendum should also be held under this order,” he added.

He said the BNP had initially objected to the idea of a referendum but later agreed, though the party proposed holding it on the same day as the national polls—something Jamaat opposes. Jamaat suggests holding the referendum in November and the national polls in February, saying most referendum materials could be reused in the election.

Dr Taher claimed that 70–80% of officials in the Election Commission, Secretariat, and police were loyal to a particular party and urged the Chief Adviser to reshuffle the administration through a lottery system to ensure a level playing field.

He also alleged partiality by some advisers and deterioration of law and order, citing the recent incident in Kabirhat, Noakhali, as a matter of concern ahead of the national election.

Jamaat leaders including Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar and Assistant Secretary Generals ATM Masum and Rafiqul Islam Khan were present at the briefing.