EU understands PR must be passed in parliament with people’s mandate: Khasru
If the people support it, it may happen after the next election, he says
The European Union (EU) understands that proportional representation (PR) system can only be passed in parliament with the mandate of the people, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said today (17 September).
"It [PR] cannot be imposed arbitrarily. If the people support it, it may happen after the next election," he said following a meeting between BNP leaders and a high-level EU delegation.
The BNP leader said the European Union (EU) is pleased with Bangladesh's progress toward democracy.
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"They want Bangladesh to advance toward full democracy as soon as possible. The sooner we achieve this collectively, the better it will be for both the country and democracy," he said.
Party's another standing committee member, Nazrul Islam Khan, highlighted the EU's consistent support for democratic development in Bangladesh.
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"They are keen for democracy to be firmly established in Bangladesh. I discussed enhancing EU cooperation in democracy and trade, and they expressed interest. The people of Bangladesh have long fought for democracy, and through the upcoming elections, their aspirations will soon be realised," he said.
When asked about proportional representation (PR), Nazrul Islam clarified that the issue was not discussed during the meeting.
"There is no need to discuss PR at this stage. If PR is to be implemented, it requires a constitutional amendment. For now, the focus is on the upcoming elections," he said.
The meeting was attended by Humayun Kabir, foreign affairs adviser to the acting chairman of the party; Barrister Nasir Uddin Asim, international affairs secretary, and Shama Obaid, organising secretary.
