Staff Correspondent:

A total of 89 percent of survey respondents support a provision that would bar any individual from serving as prime minister for more than two terms, while 71 percent favour allocating seats in the upper house through proportional representation (PR).

These findings emerged from a public opinion survey conducted as part of the process to finalise the National Charter proposed by the civil society platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan).

Ekram Hossain, a member of Shujan’s national committee, presented the survey results at a press conference held on Tuesday at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

The survey, conducted between May and July this year, gathered responses to 40 questions from 1,373 people across the country, in addition to feedback from 15 citizen dialogues.

Citing the public opinion survey, Shujan said that 69 percent of respondents supported the proposal to introduce a bicameral legislature. Some 87 percent agreed that the same individual should not hold the positions of prime minister, party chief, and leader of the parliament simultaneously.

Regarding women’s representation, 63 percent supported rotating reserved seats for women in the lower house, while 69 percent favoured reserving 30 seats for women in the upper house.

Additionally, 86 percent supported appointing a deputy speaker from the opposition in the lower house, and 82 percent wanted the same in the upper house.

On electoral reform, 87 percent agreed that the executive branch should require permission from the Election Commission for any action that could assert influence during the election period. Another 86 percent supported a provision requiring the Election Commission to certify –within 48 hours — the fairness, credibility, and acceptability of elections, and to publish such certification as a public notice.

Meanwhile, 88 percent favoured auditing election expenses and disqualifying candidates or annulling results if false information is provided.

A significant 92 percent believed that identified criminals, extortionists, corrupt individuals, and convicted persons should be barred from political party membership.

Talking about the findings, Shujan’s Secretary, Badiul Alam Majumdar, said the survey clearly demonstrated that citizens are in favour of reforms and want change. He added that existing systems, processes, and institutions had enabled Sheikh Hasina to become an autocrat, and therefore must be changed.

“If we are to establish a democratic state, we need a complete overhaul of these systems, processes, and institutions. Reforms are necessary,” he said.

Dhaka University Prof of Mass Communication and Journalism, Robaet Ferdous, also spoke at the press conference.