Sixty eminent citizens recently called for a national consensus on introducing a proportional representation-based upper house in Bangladesh’s parliamentary system, saying such a chamber would enhance accountability, ensure better representation, and curb the ‘winner-takes-all’ nature of current governance.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the signatories, including economists, educationists, lawyers, rights activists, student leaders and journalists, stressed that an upper house formed through proportional representation would create space for constructive debates and expert deliberations on nationally important issues.
They warned that proportional representation in the lower house and its replication in the upper house would bring no qualitative change to parliamentary democracy.
Parties like Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolan Bangladesh recently recommended proportional representation-based seat distribution system for both houses in the proposed bicameral legislature.
On January 15, the Constitution Reform Commission and the Electoral Reform Commission proposed a bicameral legislature with a 400-member lower house and a 105-member upper house.
Amid opposition from most of the political parties, the National Consensus Commission revised the reform commission’s proposal and recommended a 100-member upper house along with the previously stipulated lower house.
During the NCC-hosted second-round dialogue, began on June 2, a first-past-the-post electoral system or direct election was proposed for the 300 seats of the lower house, while proportional representation on the basis of vote casted was proposed for the upper house.
‘Allocating upper house seats based on national vote share would allow minority parties a voice in parliament even if they fail to win seats in the lower house,’ the statement noted.
They cautioned that the upper house’s functions should be carefully designed so as not to obstruct routine work of the executive body.
Mentioning that the previous incumbents ignored dissenting voices and the oppositions resorted to destructive protests, the statement reads, ‘A proportionately represented upper house could be a first step towards a more inclusive and stable political system.’
Notable signatories include human rights champion Irene Khan, internationally renowned photojournalist Shahidul Alam, lawyer Manzoor Al Miton, entrepreneur Fahim Mashroor, economist Zia Hasan, development activist Farah Kabir, student leader Umama Fatema, journalist Ashraf Kaiser, publisher Mahruq Mahiuddin and editors Zafar Sobhan and Rezaul Karim Rintu.
