Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has agreed to the proposals for the introduction of the proportional representation (PR) system, a bicameral parliament and the provision to prevent any individual from becoming Prime Minister more than twice.

“If the PR system is introduced, we think the irregularities, the use of muscle power and money in elections, as well as voter-less polls, would be stopped,” said Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher.

The Jamaat leader was briefing reporters on the outcomes of his party’s first-day talks with the National Consensus Commission.

A 10-member Jamaat delegation, led by Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, participated in the discussion, which began at 10:30am with Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz in the chair.Taher said his party had been in favour of the PR system from the beginning.The PR system means elections would be held simultaneously across the country on the basis of symbols or political parties. Then, the number of seats in parliament would be determined for a party proportionally to the number of votes that party receives nationwide, he explained.

Noting that there is a PR system in more than 60 countries worldwide, the Jamaat leader said, “We think it is better.”

He said they discussed only the Constitution-related reform recommendations during Saturday's talks, which continued until 5pm.

Jamaat-e-Islami agreed on some issues and raised its own proposals on others, he added.

Taher said they agreed with the proposal that no person would be Prime Minister more than twice.

Regarding Article 70 of the Constitution, which bars an MP from voting in Parliament against his or her party, he said they proposed lifting the bar for MPs except in cases of constitutional amendment, passage of the finance bill or budget, and votes of confidence.

He mentioned that they agreed, in principle, to the proposed National Constitutional Council (NCC), although they have differing opinions regarding its formation process.

Taher said they had disagreed with the NCC earlier but finally agreed in principle during the talks.

The Jamaat leader also said they agreed to a bicameral parliament with a five-year tenure.

During the lunch break of the discussion, Taher said, "We've agreed on the bicameral parliament issue.”

He said there were proposals to reduce Parliament and Presidential tenures to four years from five years. “But we told them that it wouldn’t be right. The tenures should be of five years.”

Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion, moderated by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider.

The Jamaat delegation members included its Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretaries General Rafiqul Islam Khan, AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, and Ehsanul Mahbub Jubair, Publicity and Media Affairs Secretary Matiur Rahman Akand, Jamaat Dhaka South City unit Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul and Shishir Monir.

On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties, aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

The Commission has already held talks with 16 political parties, including BNP and the National Citizen Party (NCP).

Formed under the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Commission aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms.