Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said some political parties are talking about holding national elections under the proportional representation (PR) system but they do not know what the PR system is.
"Our common people do not understand what the proportional representation is. They know that the party will nominate a candidate, whatever the poll symbol of that candidate, may it be the sheaf of paddy or the scale, they will go there and vote on the day of election," he said.
He added: "This is why we have said that we do not think about proportional representation in the lower house of parliament."
He said these while addressing as the chief guest a discussion titled "Expectations and Achievements on the Occasion of the Fall of Fascist Murderer Hasina and the Anniversary of the July-24 Revolution" organized by Zia Parishad at the Jatiya Press Club.
Fakhrul said the nation is going through a transitional period. "We are waiting for a democratic transition," he said.
Stating that the damage done by the Awami League to Bangladesh cannot be repaired in a very short time, the BNP secretary general said they have destroyed everything, including the judiciary, law, and health sectors.
They have destroyed the structures of pro-democratic political parties through torture and persecution throughout the 15-year rule, he said.
Regarding reforms, the BNP Secretary General said, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia announced `Vision 2030` in 2016 to repair the country while acting chairman Tarique Rahman gave the 3-point charter for state reform in 2022.
It is possible to bring about radical political and economic changes in the country with the `Vision 2030` as well as the 31-point charter, he said.
Fakhrul said reform do not happen immediately rather it takes place through a process.
"You want the police to stop taking bribes from tomorrow but it cannot happen overnight. However, the structure must be created in such a way that the police do not take bribes. Bureaucracy is a big obstacle in our path of development," he said.
Fakhrul said people`s representatives are needed to run the country. "If election is not held, where will I get representatives? How will they (public representatives) go to parliament, if they do not go to parliament, how will the people`s rule be established?" he said.
He urged the party men to be honest in their life and works following the ideology of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.
The BNP Secretary General urged the leaders of the Zia Parishad to see the life and work of the Shaheed Ziaur Rahman and disseminate it to the people.
Zia Parishad Chairman Vice Chairman Professor Shafiqul Islam presided over the meeting in absence of the chairman Professor Abdul Quddus due to his illness.
Zia Parishad leaders Professor Emtaz Hossain, Professor Mujibur Rahman Howlader, Abdullah Hill Masud, Khandokar Shafiqul Hasan, Ali Nur Rahman, M Zahir Ali, Monowar Hossain Enam and Ruhul Alam spoke at the discussion moderated by Prof Abul Kalam Azad.
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