Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has urged the Election Commission to adopt the Proportional Representation (PR) system for future national elections. The party argued that such a system would curb the influence of black money and eliminate nomination trade in electoral politics. They also proposed holding local government elections before the national polls under a non-partisan government to ensure true public representation.
The proposals were made during a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A. M. M. Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission office in Agargaon on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad said, “Proportional representation is practiced in various countries. Jamaat-e-Islami also demands this system in Bangladesh. We proposed allocating parliamentary seats based on a party receiving at least 1% of the total vote.”
He further emphasized the need to ensure voting rights for expatriate Bangladeshis.
Referring to the recent reinstatement of Jamaat’s registration and its electoral symbol “scales,” Azad stated, “Justice has been served. Instead of pushing for party restructuring, Jamaat now places trust in the current Election Commission.”
The delegation led by Hamidur Rahman Azad also included Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zobair and Central Executive Council Member Advocate Jasim Uddin Sarkar. The meeting with the CEC lasted over an hour, from 11:00 a.m. to around 12:15 p.m.
Also present at the meeting were Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar and Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, along with other high-ranking officials of the Election Commission.