IN RECENT years, debates over electoral reform in Bangladesh have intensified, with many policymakers, academics and citizens arguing for a system that would represent the diversity of political opinions. One potential model comes from Japan鈥檚 house of representatives, which uses a combination of single-seat constituencies and proportional representation. Adopting such a system could help Bangladesh to move beyond the limitations of its current first-past-the-post method, where only the largest parties tend to win seats and smaller parties struggle for representation.
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Proportionate representation system
JAPAN鈥橲 house of representatives, the lower house, uses a mixed system: out of 465 seats, 289 are single-seat constituencies, first-past-the-post that is, and 176 are allocated according to proportional representation based on the percentage of votes cast for political parties. Each voter casts two ballots: one for a candidate in their single-seat district and one for a party list under proportional representation. Parties prepare a ranked list of candidates for proportional representation seats.
If candidates lose in single-seat race but are ranked high on the party鈥檚 proportional representation list, they can still enter the parliament. The process is known as 鈥榬evival victory.鈥� The proportional representation seats are distributed among parties in proportion to their national (or regional) share of the party-list votes, enabling a broader representation of smaller parties and diverse voices in parliament.
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Bangladesh system
BANGLADESH has a unicameral parliament with 350 seats: 300 members are directly elected from single-seat geographic constituencies and 50 seats are reserved for women, distributed to parties based on their parliament seat proportion. The current system is pure first-past-the-post in the main parliamentary seats, resulting in dominance by large parties and often under-representation of smaller parties and alternative viewpoints. Calls for reforms, especially by smaller and ideological parties, advocate that proportional representation systems are fairer and stabilise politics by broadening representation.
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Proposals for reform
Mixed electoral system: In addition to the 300 single-seat constituencies, 300 seats to be filled by proportional representation should be added, making the parliament of 600 members or adjust the proportion if 600 is not feasible. Voters cast two ballots: one for a local candidate and one for a political party.
Proportional representation: Each party publishes a national ranked list of candidates for proportional seats before the elections. Proportional representation seats are allocated according to the share of national votes each party receives for their list. Top-ranked candidates from each party list enter the parliament proportional to the party鈥檚 results.
Advantages:听 Oligarchic dominance can be reduced by ensuring smaller, ideological parties and new leadership can gain seats and influence policies. It can prevent the concentration of power, promoting a sustainable democracy with wider citizen representation. The development of grass-roots leadership and ideological diversity could be encouraged. It may include enhancements such as decentralised authority (district and upazila representation), preventing the rise of new oligarchies and supporting youth participation through campus representation.
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Constitutional and administrative steps
ADMINISTRATIVE framework should be created for parties to submit candidate lists and public campaigns on the two-ballot system should be run.
It draws on the experience of Japan and other democracies and argues that this is necessary to break the cycle of oligarchic control and promote genuine power devolution in the country.
By introducing proportional seats alongside existing single-seat ones, Bangladesh would shift from only first-past-the-post to a balance of local and proportional representation, bringing it in line with Japan鈥檚 approach. Voter influence would increase as even votes for losing candidates would count towards the party鈥檚 proportional representation seat total. Small parties, under-represented groups and new leaders would get chances to enter the parliament. Women鈥檚 representation could be expanded not just via reserved quotas but also through higher positions on party proportional representation lists. The political landscape would diversify, making it harder for one or two major parties to dominate disproportionately.
Drawing from the Japan experience, a dual-ballot mixed system could provide Bangladesh with a more inclusive, balanced and representative parliament. This change would help to break the cycle of political oligarchy, amplify citizens鈥� voice and encourage democratic renewal in a way that purely first-past-the-post elections cannot achieve.
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ABM Razaul Karim Faquire is a former professor of the Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
