BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the proportional representation (PR) system is neither understood nor acceptable to the people of Bangladesh.
Speaking at a memorial event organized by the National Peoples Party (NPP) at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) Shafiqul Alam Auditorium on Sunday, he claimed that a political party is promoting the PR system solely to delay the upcoming national election and obstruct the process of returning power to the people.
“The people of this country will not accept the PR system, and nothing forced upon them will be accepted,” he added.
The memorial was held to mark the second death anniversary of the late Saifuddin Ahmed Mani, former General Secretary of the Democratic League (DL), and was chaired by NPP Chairman and Jatiyatabadi Sammanna Jote convener Fariduzzaman Farhad.
Mirza Fakhrul criticized the government for the last 15 years, calling it a fascist regime that has destroyed Bangladesh’s democracy, economy, and national spirit. “Through the struggles of students and the general public, we now have the opportunity to establish Bangladesh as a truly democratic state,” he said.
He also alleged that the BNP has been misrepresented in the media, with propaganda portraying the party as opposed to reforms. Fakhrul rejected this notion, stating that the BNP was founded on the principles of reform. He recalled that Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had established multi-party democracy and ensured press freedom, moving away from one-party rule.
Regarding the PR system, Fakhrul claimed it is being proposed by a political party only to delay the elections, and that most people, including parliamentarians and members of the reform commission, do not understand it properly. “The PR system has not even been proposed by those in the reform commission. It is being pushed solely to postpone the election,” he said.
The BNP leader stressed that, according to government commitments, the next election should be held by February 2026, and that the people also want the election conducted promptly to restore democratic governance. “While it is not possible to change Bangladesh overnight, the process must begin — this is what the people expect,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul emphasized the collective responsibility to transform Bangladesh into a truly democratic and prosperous state, recalling the struggle for independence in 1971 and subsequent democratic movements, including the 1990 mass uprising.
The memorial event was conducted by NPP Secretary General Mostafizur Rahman, with leaders from various political parties delivering speeches in remembrance of Saifuddin Ahmed Mani.
