Rangpur Bureau: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Parwar on Friday said political leaders opposing the proportional representation (PR) system fear losing to profit from nomination trading.

He called for a referendum on PR and warned that ignoring reforms would deepen authoritarianism.

Speaking as chief guest at a protest rally in Rangpur Public Library ground, Parwar alleged that those seeking to run authoritarian governments reject PR, despite surveys by local and international organizations showing 70 percent public support.

He noted that 25 out of 31 parties in the National Unity Commission favor PR.

Parwar dismissed claims by some BNP leaders that Bangladeshis do not understand PR, calling comparisons between electronic voting machines (EVMs) and PR misleading.

He criticized remarks that mocked PR, saying such political comments were irresponsible.

The Jamaat leader accused the chief election commissioner of echoing BNP positions after declaring that PR is not in the constitution.

He argued that the constitution does not prescribe any specific electoral system and demanded a national referendum. “If the majority supports PR, the government must accept it. If not, we will accept the people’s verdict,” he said.

Parwar also criticized the chief adviser for holding talks in London with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman and issuing joint statements from abroad. He said the July declaration on electoral reforms was reached with BNP but not with Jamaat, raising questions about fairness. He warned that failing to legally ground the July declaration and ignoring reforms would pave the way for another era of fascism.

The protest, organized to press Jamaat’s five-point demand including legal recognition of the July declaration and elections under PR, ended with a large demonstration in Rangpur city. Leaders and activists marched from Town Hall field to the party office in Shapla Chattar, chanting slogans in favor of PR and reforms.

The rally was chaired by Rangpur city Jamaat amir ATM Azam Khan, with central and regional leaders including Maulana Momtaz Uddin, Professor Mahbubur Rahman Belal, Professor Golam Rabbani, KM Anwarul Haque Kajol, Maulana Enamul Haque, and leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir also addressing the gathering.