BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has urged political parties to carefully assess whether the proportional representation (PR) election system is suitable for Bangladesh, warning that it could cause division instead of unity.
He came up with this remark while virtually addressing the party’s discussion, ‘Mass Uprising 2024: National Unity and Democratic Journey’, held at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre in the capital on Tuesday.
Tarique Rahman said some political parties have raised the demand for a proportional representation (PR) electoral system. While this system of elections exists in certain countries around the world, I urge everyone to carefully consider how suitable—or whether it is suitable at all—for Bangladesh at this moment, given the country’s current reality and its geographical-political context.
To establish Bangladesh on a strong democratic foundation, he said the country must be freed from subservience.
“At this moment, national unity is more important than ever. But I would like to humbly appeal to the leaders of all political parties to seriously consider whether the proportional representation system could lead to a divided society and an unstable government instead of national unity,” the BNP leader said.
He said there is now an opportunity to build a democratic and discrimination-free Bangladesh as the country has been freed from fascism through the mass uprising.
The BNP leader said establishing democracy and forming an elected government through a fair national election is necessary to honour the sacrifice of the martyrs.
Tarique Rahman expressed his respect to the martyrs and conveyed his sympathy to the families of those who were martyred or injured during the mass uprising and the long democratic movement.
He said just as people have not forgotten those who laid down their lives for the country’s independence in 1971, the nation will also not forget those who were martyred during the mass uprising in 2024.
If BNP comes to power, Tarique said, the party will name various state institutions and establishments after the martyrs in their honour.
MSH
