Staff Reporter:
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has once again clarified his party’s stance against the Proportional Representation (PR) system, saying that it is a useless process in Bangladesh’s geo-political and social context.
“There is no scope for people to know which person is being elected with their votes under the PR system, though they undeniably have the right to know it,” he said while addressing a programme in Dhaka on Thursday.
Claiming that the PR system still exists in many countries in the world, Tarique said, “We believe that the geo-political and social condition of Bangladesh is not suitable for holding the next general election under the PR system.”
Tarique made the remark virtually from London during the programme held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking Janmashtami, when BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami are on a loggerhead over the PR system installation.
Jamaat and newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) have been mounting pressure to meet their demand for holding of the next general election under the PR system.
Earlier in the day, Habibur Rahman Asad, assistant secretary general Jamaat, said that his party has not yet decided whether it will participate in the upcoming general election without the introduction of the PR system.
On 19 August, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that his party will not accept the election to be held under the PR system as people of Bangladesh are not familiar with it.
The trend of resisting BNP being noticed, like that of the dictatorship
Tarique said the anti-fascist fellow fighters and several politicians are behaving like the ousted autocratic ruler.
“It is a matter of grave concern that these very forces are attempting to prevent the BNP’s victory, as they once ousted the autocratic Awami League. I like to tell those who are thinking like this, just fight politics with politics and keep faith in people’s power,” he said.
Blaming a certain quarter for creating trouble in the country ahead of the forthcoming national election, he said that they may have already created obstacles unknowingly on the way to the country’s smooth democratic transition.
By this time, they may have already paved the path for the rehabilitation of the ousted fascist forces in the country, said the BNP leader.
Face people’s verdict through politics, not tactics
Stating that some political parties are resorting to various unfair tactics to block his party’s victory in the next election, Tarique urged all to confront politics with politics instead of stopping people from giving their verdict.
While virtually exchanging greetings with Hindu communities, he also sought their support and active cooperation for his party in the upcoming national election, saying it is a big opportunity to build a safe Bangladesh for the future generation.
