How Many Referendums Have Been Held in Bangladesh — and What Were Their Results

The term “referendum”, derived from English, translates into Bengali as “গণভোট” (ganovot). This democratic process has recently become a major topic of discussion across Bangladesh, amid renewed debates over constitutional and administrative reforms.

A referendum allows citizens to express their opinions directly on a specific issue through voting. It is regarded as one of the most democratic tools for making decisions of national importance — such as constitutional amendments, new legislation, crisis resolution, or changes in the form of governance.

In a referendum, voters usually cast their choice by marking ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on a ballot paper.

Since gaining independence, Bangladesh has held three referendums in total —
two administrative and one constitutional.

1. The 1977 Referendum — Legitimising Ziaur Rahman’s Rule

Held on 30 May 1977, the first referendum sought to test public support for President Ziaur Rahman’s government.

According to a report published in The Daily Ittefaq on 31 May 1977, the voting took place continuously from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm across 21,685 polling centres nationwide.

At the time, Bangladesh had around 38.4 million registered voters.

2. The 1985 Referendum — Testing Public Confidence in Ershad

The second referendum took place on 21 March 1985 under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Its purpose was to measure whether citizens supported his continuation as head of state.

Ballot boxes bore Ershad’s photograph, symbolising ‘Yes’ for confidence and ‘No’ for lack thereof.

According to the Election Commission, voter turnout stood at 72.2 percent.

3. The 1991 Referendum — Restoring the Parliamentary System

After widespread protests, military ruler H. M. Ershad resigned on 6 December 1990, paving the way for the country’s fifth parliamentary elections held on 27 February 1991.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won the election and introduced a bill in Parliament to transition from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance. The bill was passed unanimously on 6 August 1991.

A nationwide referendum followed on 15 September 1991, to decide whether the people supported this transformation — as outlined in the “Three-Alliance Framework” developed during the anti-Ershad movement.

According to The Daily Ittefaq, the 12th Amendment to the Constitution was to be ratified through this referendum.