Ensure proportionate minority representation in parliament: speakers

Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad yesterday urged all political parties and their alliances to ensure proportionate representation and participation of minorities in the parliament, according to their demographic ratio.

“We hope all democratic-minded people of the country will come forward to vote for minority candidates, to ensure their representation and participation in the parliament,” said the General Secretary of the minorities' platform, Advocate Rana Dasgupta.

He was speaking at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

So far, the number of candidates from minority communities nominated by different political parties to contest in the upcoming parliamentary election is apparently better compared to the previous terms, he said.

Dasgupta said Awami League has given primary nomination to 18 minority candidates out of 264 constituencies, while Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has given primary nomination to 12 minority candidates in 295 constituencies.

Some 12 percent of the total voters in the country belong to minority communities, for which 35 to 36 parliamentary seats are required for these communities, he said.

Advocate Dasgupta claimed that despite repeated calls from the platform to political parties not to nominate candidates who were involved in oppression of minority communities in the upcoming elections, a number of “controversial candidates” have been nominated.

He also urged all political parties to incorporate issues like empowerment and representation, abolishment of all discrimination, and establishing equal rights and dignity in their manifestos.

Minorities also demand that issues of a separate ministry for minorities, formation of a national minority commission and enacting a law regarding minority protection be incorporated in the manifestos, he said.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Prof Dr Nim Chandra Bhowmik also spoke at the press conference.