No scope for major electoral reforms, PR without Parliament: Khosru

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday said there is no scope to make a major decision to introduce the Proportional Representation (PR) system for elections without an elected parliament.

“There is no mention of the Proportional Representation system in our 31-point proposal. Those who are talking about such a major change in the election system cannot do it without the next parliament,” he said.

Khosru, a BNP Standing Committee member, made the remark while talking to reporters after holding meetings at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan with four political parties and alliances—Bangladesh Jonodhikar Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Am Janatar Dal and Gonotantrik Bam Oikya.

He recalled that when the country shifted from a presidential to a parliamentary system, all major parties in parliament agreed together and passed it there.

“If any party wants elections to be held under a proportional system… With respect to their opinion, I must say that they should take this idea to the people, get a mandate in the next election, and then raise it in the next parliament. Any fundamental change must be placed before the people through elections and passed in parliament,” the BNP leader said.

At this stage, Khosru said the proportional election system is not even a subject for discussion.

In response to a question about reforms, he said BNP has already mentioned where it has reached consensus — such as the proposal for a bicameral parliament, and the idea that no one can be Prime Minister more than twice. “These are basically BNP’s proposals. So, in fact, there is already a lot of consensus.”

“But we must remember that it’s not possible to agree on everything. We are not forming a one-party state (Baksal)… The issues where there is agreement will go forward through consensus. For the rest, each party will go to the people, seek their opinion, and act accordingly,” he observed.

Earlier, Khosru, along with BNP Standing Committee Member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Vice Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu, held separate meetings at the Chairperson’s office.