Staff Reporter :
Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the Electoral Reform Commission, stated on Wednesday that a golden opportunity has emerged to eradicate injustices and discrimination in Bangladesh.
“Following a student-led mass uprising, the nation now has a remarkable chance to eliminate past injustices.
We aim to build a country where equal opportunities are available to all,” Dr Majumdar said during a views-exchange meeting at the Parliament Complex in Dhaka. The event included participants from various backgrounds, including small ethnic communities, Dalits, and people with disabilities.
He emphasised the need to end the culture of impunity, urging unity across racial and religious lines. “We are all members of one family, regardless of race or religion.
There should be no divisions among us,” he added. Ensuring good governance and individual accountability, he said, would secure the rights of indigenous communities.
Dr Majumdar noted that the commission is yet to finalise its recommendations but assured that protections for Tribal, Dalit, and other marginalised communities would be included. “Their rights, from voting to legal protections, must be established,” he stressed.
Dr Majumdar called for political consensus on the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and highlighted key proposals gathered during consultations.
These include creating a bicameral parliament, balancing power between the Prime Minister and President, electing an upper house, and introducing rotational reserved seats for women. “We have noted these proposals with sincerity,” he said.
He also stressed the need for accurate data on ethnic and marginalised groups to ensure fair representation, highlighting issues with the current voter lists. “Even the names of my own family members are incorrectly listed. We will make recommendations to address these errors,” he said.
Dr. Tofail Ahmed, a member of the commission, stated that if the recommendations are well presented and accepted by the government, they could bring revolutionary changes to local governance.
Ripon Chandra Banai, from the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, emphasised the importance of ensuring indigenous representation in both parliamentary and local elections. Bimal Chandra Rajwar, General Secretary of the Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, urged that election-related complaints be resolved within 24 hours to curb the influence of money and muscle power.
The meeting underscored the need for inclusive governance, electoral integrity, and safeguarding the rights of marginalised communities to foster a just and equitable society.
