Reforms to ensure minority inclusion

Badiul Alam Majumdar, chief of the Electoral Reform Commission formed by the interim government, yesterday said their recommendations will ensure that ethnic minorities or backward groups are not discriminated.

He also said their recommendations will establish the legal rights and the right to vote for all citizens.

He made the comments at a views exchange meeting with representatives of different sections of the society including small ethnic groups, dalits, and people with disabilities at the parliament complex.

Representatives from different organisations including Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, Ashika Manabik Unnayan Kendra, Adibashi Samajik Unnayan Sangastha, and Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights joined the meeting and spoke about their different problems.

They also placed different proposals, including holding voting in the constituencies of three hill districts on a separate day with better security arrangement, constituting a bicameral parliament, holding direct elections to the Upper House, and holding non-partisan local government elections.

Badiul said that indigenous communities and other groups have problems with the voter list and national identity (NID) cards. The reform commission will make recommendations to address these issues.

He also said that many proposals like bicameral parliament, establishing balance of power between the prime minister and the president, election of Upper House, were discussed in the event.

He, however, said the commission does not have the authority to implement the proposals, and it will have to be done by the government or the Election Commission.

"The proposals of the reform commission will be discussed with the political parties, and maybe a roadmap for the election will come from there," he added.