Lower house should follow constituency system, upper house PR: Badiul Alam Majumdar

Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Chief of the Election Reform Commission and member of the National Consensus Commission, has said that elections to the proposed bicameral parliament should follow a mixed system with the lower house elected on a constituency basis and the upper house through Proportional Representation (PR).

Speaking to journalists following a citizen dialogue in Gangni upazila on Friday morning, Dr Majumdar said, “There is no alternative to elections. They must be held on time. Without a popularly elected government, no country can play an effective role, either nationally or internationally.”

He emphasized the importance of democratic transition through credible elections, adding, “An elected government must be formed through a fair process. That is the path to a functional democracy. Both the constituency-based and PR systems have their merits and drawbacks, but we believe a combination of both is necessary. We have proposed that the lower house be elected based on constituencies, while the upper house follow the PR system.”

Dr Majumdar expressed optimism about political consensus, stating, “We are hopeful the nation will reach safe shores. A neutral, transparent, and peaceful election is possible with participation from all parties. That will lead to the establishment of an effective democratic system.”

The event was organized by Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) at the office of the Gangni Upazila Executive Officer. Monir Haider, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, attended as a special guest.

The discussion was chaired by valiant freedom fighter Mozammel Haque, President of SHUJAN’s Gangni branch. Other speakers included Syed Zakir Hossain, President of SHUJAN’s Meherpur district branch; ASM Sayem Poltu, General Secretary of the local unit; Abul Kalam Azad Swapan, Principal of Gangni Technical and Business Management College; Zulfikar Ali Bhatt, former Upazila Vice Chairman; and Abdal Haque, BNP leader.

The event was also attended by representatives from The Hunger Project, SHUJAN, PFG, Women’s Network, and Youth Ending Hunger.