Dhaka, Oct. 5 -- In a bold political move, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has urged the government to hold a national referendum before the upcoming general election, aiming to establish a legal mandate for the implementation of the July National Charter.

"All political parties, including BNP, support holding a referendum to make the Charter legally valid. But we want it before the elections," said Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad.

He came up with the demand while speaking to reporters during a break on the fourth day of talks with various political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Sunday.

When asked about the timing of the referendum, Azad said the people of Bangladesh are not very familiar with r...