The interim government has given all anti-fascist political parties seven days to reach a consensus on when to hold the national referendum for implementing the July Charter.

Law Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul announced the decision after a special meeting of the Advisory Council, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Dhaka on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Asif Nazrul said the government expects all parties to come to a unified decision within the given timeframe.

“If the parties cannot reach an agreement within the next seven days, the government will move forward based on its own judgment,” he added while responding to a question.

The meeting was convened amid intense political debate over the modalities of the July Charter’s implementation, with the timing of the referendum emerging as a major point of contention among political actors.

Earlier, the National Consensus Commission had suggested that the referendum be held either before or on the national polling day.

However, major political parties — including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Congress Party (NCP) — have each proposed separate timelines based on their political considerations.