BNP rejects, Jamaat presses as PR debate heats up

Highlights

• 32 parties back bicameral parliament
• But no consensus on upper house election
• Badiul Alam says PR ensures vote-based seat share
• But warns system risk unstable government
• BNP rejects PR, warns of division and instability
• Jamaat demands PR system in both houses
• NCP wants PR in upper house only

Bangladesh's political landscape remains deeply divided over adopting a proportional representation (PR) system for a proposed bicameral parliament. 

While 32 parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), support creating a two-house legislature, consensus has not been reached on how upper house members should be elected.

The division has sharpened following reports that Electoral Reform Commission chief Badiul Alam Majumdar described PR as "dangerous". 

However, speaking to The Business Standard yesterday (22 August), he clarified that PR carries both strengths and risks.

"While the PR system ensures seats are allocated according to vote share, reflecting people's votes more accurately, it may also create instability in government," he said.

Badiul, who is also a member of the National Consensus Commission, added, "PR has advantages and disadvantages. It ensures fair reflection of the people's mandate, unlike the current system, where small changes in vote share produce large shifts in seats." 

He added, "For this reason, we have suggested retaining both systems – PR for the upper house and the existing system for the lower house."

Writer and researcher Altaf Parvez noted that the failure to build consensus has stalled the reform. "Although PR could benefit the country's future politics, even its advocates have failed to explain it properly to the public."

Citizens, he added, remain suspicious of those opposing PR, while parties have been unable to secure wider support.

Citing Sri Lanka and Nepal, Parvez said PR can broaden representation by enabling smaller parties to enter parliament. "It allows diverse groups to participate and may even reduce instability," he argued.

Commission's draft proposal

The National Consensus Commission has finalised its July Charter, circulated to parties on 16 August. It proposes a bicameral legislature, with the lower house named the National Parliament and an upper house called the Senate, comprising 100 members.

According to the proposal, Senate seats would be distributed proportionally according to each party's share of votes in the lower house, with at least 10 percent reserved for women. 

Senators would serve five-year terms but the chamber would dissolve automatically if the lower house were dissolved prematurely. Candidate lists for both houses would be published together during general elections.

BNP has rejected proportional representation outright, while Jamaat is demanding its introduction in both houses, and the National Citizen Party supports applying it only to the upper house.

BNP's rejection of PR

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman warned that PR could deepen political divisions and fuel instability. Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi argued that most citizens do not understand PR, leaving space for suspicion of hidden agendas.

Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, "We have objections to the PR system. We do not agree with this proposal."

Instead, BNP has proposed that Senate seats reflect lower house results but also include distinguished experts and professionals. 

Its 2023 31-point reform plan envisioned a "senate-based legislature" with scholars, seasoned administrators, and professionals to strengthen governance.

Some BNP-aligned groups, including the Liberal Democratic Party, demanded that Senate seats be distributed strictly according to lower house outcomes, rejecting proportional nominations.

Jamaat wants PR in both houses

Jamaat, by contrast, has demanded proportional representation in both chambers. The party has organised rallies in Dhaka, arguing that PR ensures "quality elections" and strengthens democracy.

Secretary-General Mia Golam Parwar said PR, practised in 91 countries, prioritises parties over individuals and curbs the influence of money and nomination trading. 

Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher pledged a nationwide campaign, framing PR as a remedy for decades of flawed elections.

Several Islamist parties, including Islami Andolan, have joined the call. At a recent rally in Suhrawardy Udyan, Islami Andolan unveiled a 16-point manifesto demanding PR in both houses. Jamaat first raised the issue after the Awami League's fall on 5 August 2024.