Hindu Mahajot demands 42 seats for minorities in parliament

The Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance, or the Hindu Mahajot, has demanded the reservation of 42 seats in the national parliament for minorities through a proportional electoral system.

The Hindu Mahajot made this demand at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in Dhaka yesterday.

In a written statement, Hindu Mahajot's General Secretary Advocate Govinda Chandra Pramanik said 12% of the country's total population are religious minorities. Among these, 10% are Hindus, while 2% are Buddhists and Christians combined. Therefore, he suggested that at least 42 out of the 350 seats in the national parliament should be reserved for representatives of religious minorities.

Of these, 38 seats should be allocated to Hindus, 3 to Buddhists, and 1 to Christians. Additionally, out of the six reserved seats for women, 4 should be designated for Hindu women and 2 for Buddhist women. These women should be elected from across the country by voters belonging to Hindu, Buddhist, and other ethnic minority communities, he added.

He further said that seats in the national parliament should be allocated to contesting parties based on their share of nationwide votes. Members of parliament from Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, and other ethnic minority communities would hold equal status, and voters would elect representatives from their respective communities, ensuring fair representation for all.

Govinda Chandra Pramanik said that political parties have consistently failed to nominate candidates from minority communities in proportion to their population. Although government statistics indicate that minorities make up 12% of the population, they have never been allocated the 42 seats to which they are entitled.

He said that under the current electoral system, the Hindu community has not received proportional representation in parliament. Historically, only one member from the BNP, 2 to 3 members from the Jatiya Party, and 6 to 15 members from the Awami League have been elected to parliament.

Govinda Chandra Pramanik emphasised the importance of separate electoral systems in local governments, the national parliament, and other institutions to ensure adequate representation for minority communities.

He also said, "The current government consists of the country's most educated, liberal, and selfless people. We are hopeful that the government, reform committees, and different political parties will work together to establish a truly representative democracy, ensure minority representation, and enhance Bangladesh's image both domestically and internationally."

"If the government does not accept the demands of the minority communities, the Hindu community will not participate in any elections or go to polling stations," he added.