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A nationwide survey by the non-governmental organisation SHUJAN (Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik), or Citizens for Good Governance, has found overwhelming public support for significant political and constitutional reforms, including the formation of a non-partisan caretaker government during election periods.
The survey, conducted in May and July, revealed that 83 percent of respondents support an impartial caretaker government to oversee elections, while 90 percent favour changing the basic principles of state governance, bdnews24.com reports.
In addition, 79 percent called for investigations into irregularities and fraud in the last three national elections.
Other findings showed 69 percent of respondents support 30 reserved seats for women in an upper house of parliament, while 88 percent want internet service recognised as a fundamental right.
SHUJAN member Ekram Hossain presented the findings at a press conference on Tuesday at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
He said the survey collected responses from 1,373 people across all districts, including 335 women, 1,033 men and five people of the third gender.
In total, 40 questions were asked, supplemented by 15 citizen dialogues.
The survey also found that 69 percent of participants favoured a bicameral legislature, 63 percent supported rotating reserved seats for women in the lower house, and 71 percent wanted proportional distribution of seats in the upper house.
Eighty-six percent backed appointing the deputy speaker of the National Assembly from the opposition, while 82 percent wanted the same for the upper house.
Eighty-seven percent supported a provision barring the same person from simultaneously serving as prime minister, parliamentary leader and party leader.
Eighty-nine percent wanted to limit a prime minister’s tenure to two terms, while 87 percent favoured a cabinet-led government, and 88 percent supported expanding presidential powers.
The findings also showed that 90 percent support recognising the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the Information Commission, and the proposed Local Government Commission as constitutional bodies.
Eighty-four percent favoured creating an independent boundary commission after each census, and 88 percent wanted candidacies or results cancelled if false election expense information is provided.
Ninety-two percent of respondents favoured disqualifying identified terrorists, extortionists, corrupt individuals, and convicted criminals from political parties.
Eighty-seven percent supported postal or online voting for expatriates using passport data, while 88 percent backed forming a National Voter Registration Authority.
Eighty-three percent wanted provisions for “no” votes, and 90 percent supported establishing a permanent independent police commission.
SHUJAN editor Badiul Alam Majumder said the organisation had previously presented reform proposals before the 2013 elections and conducted another nationwide survey before the 2024 polls.
“This time too, the people have given their opinions, and political parties have given their views,” he said.
“Whoever comes to power will implement the proposals. We have submitted a draft of the National Charter to the Consensus Commission.”
In response to a question about whether the current government is non-partisan, Badiul said: “This government does not represent any party. This government is a non-partisan government.”
Dhaka University Prof Robaet Ferdous said good governance does not automatically follow from elections alone.
He pointed to corruption and money laundering during previous governments and called for internal reforms within political parties.
By implementing the proposed national charter, he said, Bangladesh could move toward becoming a “democratic, humane and prosperous state”