Rangpur, Broadcasting News Corporation: Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Ministry of Water Resources, said that political opponents of the referendum must be confronted politically, not through the use of force. If people want to be free from misgovernance, they must vote in favor of reform. The answer in the referendum must be ‘Yes’.

The Adviser made these remarks on Sunday (January 18, 2026) at an exchange meeting held at the Nilphamari District Academy of Fine Arts auditorium to promote the referendum and encourage voter participation.

The Adviser said that for a long sixteen years, the people of the country have been unable to vote. The right to vote of the people was suppressed to corner the authorities. In addition, fascism was established, resulting in disappearances, killings, and extrajudicial incidents. He further said that reforms are necessary to ensure that fascism can never return.

The advisor said that the people must make the right decision in the referendum so that no political party can be arbitrary. There is no alternative to voting for change to prevent the tendency to cling to power by using state machinery. Emphasizing the importance of the referendum, he said that if the people’s vote is in favor of ‘yes,’ no one will be able to arbitrarily amend the constitution. The people will be empowered and citizen dignity will increase. He said that if we want to move beyond the culture of disappearances and killings, the people must vote for change to ensure the accountability of political parties and bring balance to power.

Regarding the parliamentary representative elections, advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan said to all present that in the future, representatives who will form the government will be elected to work for the welfare of the people, not for their own interests.

In response to the question about the government’s role concerning those campaigning for a ‘no’ in the referendum, the advisor said that this is their political right. That is why the ‘no’ option has been included in the referendum.

The event, chaired by Nilphamari District Commissioner Mohammad Nayeemuzzaman, included representatives from various district offices.