Yunus Govt’s ‘Yes’ Referendum Under Scanner Over Bank Meetings, CSR Funds & Unregistered NGOs

Last Updated:May 10, 2026, 17:55 IST

The campaign was held before the Bangladesh General Election, during the regime of Mohammad Yunus

Bangladesh’s controversial ‘Yes’ referendum campaign has now come under legal scrutiny, with a Supreme Court lawyer accusing the interim government of illegally diverting banking and state funds to influence voters and promote the ‘Yes’ vote.

Interestingly, the campaign was held before the Bangladesh General Election, during the regime of Mohammad Yunus.

According to the legal notice, a copy of which is in possession of News18, sent on May 7 by Bangladesh Supreme Court advocate Aslam Mia through barrister Sanaullah Nore, the interim administration allegedly orchestrated a coordinated campaign using public money, banking-sector CSR funds and administrative pressure to mobilise support for the referendum.

The notice, addressed to senior officials including the Cabinet Secretary, Bangladesh Bank Governor, Chief Election Commissioner and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman, demanding a formal investigation within 15 days into what it describes as “major corruption" tied to the referendum campaign, putting Yunus in a spot.

At the heart of the allegations is the claim that Bangladesh Bank and the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) together disbursed nearly Tk 3.7 crore to three organisations — Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), Students Against Discrimination (SAD) Foundation and Debate for Democracy — to campaign for the “Yes" vote.

In a more specific claim, the notice mentions, “According to officials familiar with the matter, the controversy began at a bankers’ meeting held on 11 January, where the issue of supporting the referendum campaign was unexpectedly introduced despite not being on the official agenda. The meeting drew further attention as Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarak was present, an unusual occurrence in what is typically a bankers-only forum."

The notice alleges that the issue was first raised during a bankers’ meeting on January 11, where Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur reportedly sought financial support for the referendum campaign. It further claims that banks were later instructed by the Chief Adviser’s Office to contribute funds toward the campaign.

Citing media reports and internal objections allegedly raised during the meeting, the notice argues that the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds for a referendum campaign violated Bangladesh Bank’s own policy framework. Under existing CSR rules, banking-sector funds are earmarked for sectors such as education, health, climate-related initiatives and social welfare activities.

The notice also raises questions over the Students Against Discrimination Foundation, claiming the organisation was unregistered when the funding proposal was initially discussed. It alleges that although a proposal for Tk 9 crore was rejected by Bangladesh Bank board members, Tk 1 crore was later approved after the foundation obtained registration within days. For context, Students Against Discrimination was a platform of student activists in Bangladesh formed in 2024 during the nationwide student-led quota reform movement that eventually carried out the regime change by ousting Sheikh Hasina.

This legal notice doesn’t stop here. It claims that a Bangladesh Bank inspection team later failed to locate a functioning office for the foundation and could not obtain adequate documentation regarding fund utilisation.

Beyond the banking sector, the legal notice alleges that nearly Tk 142 crore was spent by six ministries and the Election Commission to promote the “Yes" vote, describing the expenditure as “illegal", “arbitrary" and beyond the mandate of the interim administration.

The Bangladesh Supreme Court Lawyer told the BNP government to “urgently investigate and take action within the next 15 days against this major corruption of the interim government" or face legal scrutiny.

The 2026 Bangladesh ‘Yes’ referendum was touted to be a historic but non-legally binding national vote held on February 12, 2026, where voters approved the July National Charter 2025, a comprehensive reform package aimed at restructuring the state following the 2024 uprising. The ‘Yes’ vote won with approximately 68.26% support.

The July Charter outlines 84 reform points, including about 47 constitutional amendments designed to transition Bangladesh into a bicameral parliamentary system, limit prime minister terms, and strengthen independent commissions.

While the BNP officially signed the Charter in October 2025 and supported a ‘Yes’ vote in the February 2026 referendum, the party has since pushed back against several key provisions.

News world Yunus Govt’s ‘Yes’ Referendum Under Scanner Over Bank Meetings, CSR Funds & Unregistered NGOs

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