BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said the Proportional Representation (PR) system of elections would create political instability and help establish autocracy by political parties.
“Around the world, PR is practised in many ways and through different methods. From their experience, it can be said that PR means ‘Permanent Restlessness,’ and Nepal is the latest example of it,” he said.
Salahuddin, a BNP Standing Committee member, made the remarks while speaking at a seminar organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist British Students’ Alliance at the Supreme Court Bar Auditorium.
He said in many countries where PR was introduced, it took a long time to form a government. “In some cases, it took a year or even a year and a half after the election. Even when a government was finally formed, it did not last long.”
The BNP leader questioned who is trying to introduce the PR system in Bangladesh and what their real motives are, and said one of the main aims of those advocating it is to gain a few extra seats, while another is to keep the country in constant instability so that no government can remain stable.
“It would benefit those who want Bangladesh to remain unstable. That means some of our neighbouring countries do not want Bangladesh’s stability, they do not want Bangladesh’s economic prosperity, and they do not want Bangladesh’s political stability. The reason is their own interests are involved,” Salahuddin said.
He warned that if division and instability always prevail in Bangladesh, another fascist like Sheikh Hasina could emerge, who would serve the interests of others, as with a weak government, almost any demand could be imposed.
“We gave our lives to end autocracy—will it now be re-established through PR? Under this system, if votes are cast for a party, the public will not know who will become an MP. That decision will be made by the party’s top leaders, such as the president, secretary, standing committee or Majlis-e-Shura. In this way, party autocracy will be established,” Salahuddin said.
He also said voters will lose their importance and their right to choose if party leaders alone decide who becomes a parliament member.
“Since 1970, we have fought for direct elections—one person, one vote—which led to the creation of Bangladesh. Introducing PR undermines that system. Party autocracy will dominate, and individual autocracy will also be reinforced. Those chosen by the party leaders will become MPs, while the people’s choice will no longer matter. The public will only be allowed to cast votes, but will have no real say in who represents them,” the BNP leader said.
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Salahuddin criticised PR-related surveys, saying they were misleading. “One survey shows 56 per cent of people do not understand PR, yet another claims 70 per cent want PR. How can 70 per cent want it if 56 per cent do not even understand it? Such misleading claims only confuse the nation.”
He also warned that the PR system would weaken direct democratic participation. “If people cannot know in advance which candidates will be elected, where is direct democratic involvement? Accountability of elected representatives will suffer.”
The BNP leader said the constitution clearly defines the method of voting, specifying that representatives must be elected through direct votes for candidates, not for any election symbol.
He said any political reform must take into account Bangladesh’s democratic structure, social conditions, political history, and electoral history.
Salahuddin called for reforms that respect the constitution and ensure transparency, accountability and citizen participation in elections.
“Those who want to run the country by law, constitution, and legality, I urge them not to put the nation into crisis by accepting any political party’s non-political, illegal, or unconstitutional demand,” he said.
The BNP leader also said the current interim government is operating by maintaining constitutional continuity and the Chief Adviser himself has stated this many times.
Salahuddin Ahmed, a former student of Dhaka University’s Law Department, explained and analysed constitutionally that the interim government is functioning under the existing constitution, and anything outside it cannot be considered acceptable.
He said a fully independent election commission, an independent judiciary, a caretaker government, and freedom of the press must be ensured so that the rule of law is upheld and all state organs function properly within constitutional boundaries.