Elected Parliament May Face Legal Risk if Referendum is Cancelled: Shishir Monir

Supreme Court lawyer and Jamaat-e-Islami central working committee member Shishir Monir warned on Monday that canceling the scheduled referendum could pose a significant legal threat to the legitimacy of the next elected parliament.

Speaking to reporters at the High Court premises on March 30, Monir emphasized that existing laws do not allow for the "automatic cancellation" of a referendum. He argued that if a referendum—following the Election Commission's announced schedule—is scrapped, the subsequent results of the general election could be legally challenged or placed at risk.

Monir also expressed concern over recent initiatives to cancel approximately 20 ordinances. These include the Missing Persons Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Reform Commission, and the Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance. He urged the authorities to reconsider these decisions to ensure institutional stability.

Regarding political unity, Monir claimed that while all parties initially agreed on 30 specific points within the National Consensus Commission under the interim government, the BNP is now allegedly delaying the implementation of these core issues.