Jamaat Has No Objection If PR Fails in Referendum: Golam Parwar

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar has said that the party has no objection if the proportional representation (PR) system is rejected in a public referendum. However, if the PR system gains majority support, future elections must be held under this method, he added.

He made the remarks on Monday (September 1) while speaking as the chief guest at a roundtable discussion held at the National Press Club. The discussion was titled “Legal Basis of PR-Based Elections and the July Declaration.”

Parwar stated, “If the PR system does not hold in the referendum, we have no objection. But if it does, then elections must follow the PR model.”

Referring indirectly to the chief advisor, he urged for a national political dialogue including all parties on the PR issue. He warned that the public will not accept any “engineered or staged election.”

He also suggested that if any party feels pressured by the issue, it should be decided through a public referendum. Pointing at the BNP, he accused a certain political party of misleading the nation over the PR system.

Citing a survey, Parwar claimed that 71% of citizens support elections under the PR system. He added, “Without reforming the existing political structure, whoever comes to power will become authoritarian.”