Dhaka, Nov. 22 -- Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has warned that holding a referendum on the day of the national election could lead to "genocide".

He made the remark while speaking at the Parade Ground in Chattogram on Saturday afternoon.

"We do not see it positively. We have said it before that a referendum on election day can lead to genocide during the polls," he said.

Earlier in the day, Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the government sent a letter to hold the election and the referendum on the same day.

On Nov 13, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, in a televised speech to the nation, announced the referendum would be held on the same day as the national election.

The National Consensus Commission had recommend...