BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has warned that introducing a Proportional Representation (PR) voting system could result in weak or fascist governments similar to that of Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, ultimately bringing long-term instability to the country.
Speaking at a discussion meeting organized at the Supreme Court premises on Thursday (September 25), Salahuddin said, “The main purpose of demanding PR is to secure more seats and to create division and instability in the country, preventing a majority party from forming the government. This system mainly benefits those who are less popular among the people.”
He further pointed out that the constitution clearly states that public representatives must be elected through direct voting. Therefore, he said, Jamaat should first read the constitution to understand what kind of electoral system should be followed.
Emphasizing his point, Salahuddin added that no unconstitutional, unlawful, or irrational demand by any political party should be entertained at the cost of putting the nation at risk. He reminded that the current government is a constitutional government and must run the country by upholding constitutional continuity and legality.
Citing survey results, the BNP leader noted, “One survey shows that 56 percent of people do not even know what PR is. Yet Jamaat is claiming that 70 percent of people want PR. Spreading such false information to mislead the public cannot be accepted.