“This system will pave the way for the return of fascism. Proportional voting contradicts the existing democratic structure of Bangladesh. People want to vote for candidates they know from their constituencies. A party-list based voting system is unacceptable to them,” he says
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi speaks at a press briefing at BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan on 17 September 2025. Photo: TBS
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BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi speaks at a press briefing at BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan on 17 September 2025. Photo: TBS
The demand for introducing proportional representation (PR) system after the announcement of the election roadmap is a deception against the people’s aspirations, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said today (17 September).
Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan, Rizvi said, “For the past 16 years, no political party in Bangladesh has raised this demand. Suddenly bringing it forward now is intentional and poses a threat to democratic continuity and political stability.”
He added, “This system will pave the way for the return of fascism. Proportional voting contradicts the existing democratic structure of Bangladesh. People want to vote for candidates they know from their constituencies. A party-list based voting system is unacceptable to them.”
The BNP leader accused certain quarters of deliberately projecting PR as the only option for holding elections, describing it as an attempt to mislead democracy. “Behind the PR debate lies a political conspiracy. The goal is to thwart the upcoming elections,” he alleged.
Citing international examples, Rizvi warned that PR has triggered political instability in countries like Israel and Nepal, while even advanced nations like France are reconsidering its application. “In an immature democracy like Bangladesh, this system could prove disastrous,” he said.
Calling for constructive dialogue among political parties, Rizvi stressed that national interest demands consensus and compromise rather than pursuing “destructive experiments” with electoral systems.