Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
The proportional electoral system, which has come in the spotlight amid discussions of constitutional reform, is not possible in the context of Bangladesh, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul said today (13 November).
Speaking at a press conference at his residence in Thakurgaon's Kalibari, he said, "We have rejected this electoral system. This system is not possible in the context of the country."
Bangladesh currently uses the First Past the Post, or FPTP, system, where the candidate with the highest votes in an electoral constituency wins.
The other system is the Proportional Representation system, where there are no constituency-based candidates. Voters cast their votes for party symbols, and the number of seats a party receives in parliament is determined in proportion to the percentage of votes it secures.
At the conference, Fakrhul also urged for patience and unity among the people following AL's "successful attempts to create divisions".
"We want a united nation by removing this division. In a democratic society there can be different opinions. But there must be unity on the basic issues of Bangladesh's independence — sovereignty, democracy, human rights.
"As a nation, we must not be intolerant. It is not possible to remove the garbage of 17 years in 17 days or even 17 months. So, this government should be given time."
Fakhrul said, "We have verified that the people want an impartial election with the participation of all. We think that all kinds of reforms are necessary to make this election fair. So we have been saying that elections should be held within a reasonable time. And this roadmap should be given to the government."
On the issue of reforms, he said the government would not have to do most of those. "It will be done by a parliament which has been elected."
At the conference, Fakhrul also warned that India's continuous campaign against Bangladesh can pose a great danger.
"Now a trend has started on social media. Some are trying to destroy the achievements of Bangladesh. We have to be careful as we cannot meet another disaster right now. There is danger over our heads as the mastermind of fascism is staying in India," he said.
After the fall of the Awami League administration, several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, have called for the introduction of the PR system in the national parliamentary elections.
