Written By Mohammed Rakib Uddin, Department of English Language & Literature, National University, Bangladesh
The Current Electoral Landscape
Bangladesh, since its independence in 1971, has operated under a First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system—where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins. While simple and familiar, this system has contributed to repeated political polarization, disproportionate representation, and a cycle of boycotts and electoral violence. As Bangladesh continues to mature politically, the Proportional Representation (PR) system is increasingly being discussed as a possible alternative to enhance democratic inclusiveness and stability.
So, would PR be more effective for Bangladesh? To answer that, we must examine both Bangladesh’s political context and the lessons from countries that have implemented PR systems.
FPTP: Strengths and Weaknesses
The FPTP system in Bangladesh has historically favored large, dominant parties—mainly the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—often at the cost of smaller parties and minority voices. For instance, in the 2018 general election, the AL-led alliance won 96% of the parliamentary seats with just 76% of the vote share. The opposition, despite receiving a significant portion of the votes, was virtually absent from Parliament. This undermines the principle of proportionality and can discourage voter participation.
Moreover, the winner-takes-all nature of FPTP intensifies political competition, leading to frequent electoral boycotts, street protests, and instability, as seen in 2014 and 2018. Political legitimacy often comes under question, and parliament becomes less representative of the actual electorate.
PR Systems: Global Lessons
The Proportional Representation system, used widely in countries like Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, ensures that parliamentary seats are allocated based on the proportion of votes received by each party. This creates a more representative and inclusive democracy, especially in politically or ethnically diverse nations.
Germany, for example, combines PR with a constituency-based system in its Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) model. This allows both local representation and proportional fairness. The result has been stable coalition governments and broad-based policymaking, even amid ideological differences.
Nepal, a country with political and ethnic diversity comparable to Bangladesh, adopted a mixed PR system after its 2006 peace process. This shift allowed previously marginalized groups, including women and ethnic minorities, to gain meaningful representation. Today, over 30% of Nepal’s federal parliamentarians are women, largely thanks to PR quotas—a sharp contrast to Bangladesh, where only 22% of parliamentary seats are reserved and filled by indirect nomination, not direct election.
Potential Benefits of PR for Bangladesh
Adopting a PR or mixed system in Bangladesh could have several positive effects:
Inclusiveness and Minority Representation: Religious minorities, indigenous groups, women, and smaller parties would have a fairer chance at representation. This could reduce the perception of political exclusion, especially in regions like the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Reducing Electoral Violence: PR reduces the zero-sum nature of elections. Since every vote counts toward a party’s national total, parties are less likely to resort to violence or voter suppression in specific constituencies.
Encouraging Voter Turnout: If voters know their vote will always count, even if their preferred candidate does not win locally, turnout and trust in democracy could improve. Research by IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) shows that PR systems are associated with higher voter turnout and satisfaction.
Coalition Culture and Compromise: Bangladesh’s politics is highly confrontational. A PR system could push major parties to form coalitions, encouraging compromise over hostility, as seen in Denmark and Switzerland, where PR fosters a culture of negotiation.
Challenges of Implementing PR
However, PR is not a silver bullet. It comes with challenges that Bangladesh must consider:
Political Fragmentation: PR could lead to a proliferation of small parties and unstable coalitions, especially if thresholds (minimum vote share for representation) are not enforced. Israel and Italy have faced such problems.
Complexity and Public Understanding: PR systems are more complex than FPTP, and may confuse voters without adequate civic education and media literacy campaigns.
Elite Dominance in Closed-List PR: If Bangladesh adopts a closed-list PR system, party leaders could still dominate candidate selection, undermining internal party democracy—an already weak area in Bangladeshi politics.
A Mixed Path Forward
Given the polarization and democratic challenges in Bangladesh, a pure FPTP system appears insufficient for ensuring inclusive and stable governance. Adopting a mixed electoral system, such as the German or Nepali model, may be a more practical and effective step forward.
By retaining direct constituency representation while adding proportional allocation for party votes, Bangladesh could achieve both local accountability and national fairness. International experiences show that when properly designed, PR systems can contribute to more inclusive, peaceful, and representative governance—goals that Bangladesh urgently needs to pursue.
