The Forum of Engineers and Architects, Bangladesh (FEAB), organized a seminar titled “The Necessity of the Proportional Representation (PR) System in the National Parliamentary Election in Post-Uprising Bangladesh” was held on Sunday, August 24, at the seminar hall of the Engineers’ Institution, Bangladesh, Dhaka.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, and former Member of Parliament, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, attended the seminar as the chief guest and delivered the his speech.

The seminar was presided over by the Forum’s President, Engineer Golam Mostafa, and hosted by Engineer Sirajul Islam. The inaugural address was delivered by Engineer Shamsuzzaman, father of Engineer Jahiduzzaman Tanvin—the first martyr of the July Movement. The keynote speaker was Dr. Shibbir Ahmed, Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Virginia, while the special guest was Engineer Sheikh Al Amin, Honorable Vice President (HRD) of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

In his speech as the chief guest, Dr. Taher said: “The students and people did not sacrifice their lives in the July Movement just to bring the old system back or to follow prescriptions handed down by foreigners. The people’s expectation is clear—reforms first, then elections.”

He further stated, “Professor Yunus had repeatedly said that he is determined to deliver an internationally standard election, but we are not seeing any indication of that. If he fails to ensure an acceptable election, his reputation will be forever tarnished with a stain of disgrace.”

Dr. Taher also said, “Many people claim that we do not want elections. To them we say—come, let us debate on PR. Why are you so afraid of PR? Since you claim that the people will vote for you and that you are a very large party, if the people truly want you in power, only the PR system can reflect that properly. We certainly want elections—but that must be a representative election. We will not allow another fascist regime to take over.”

Other speakers at the event included Professor Dr. Fakhrul Islam of BUET’s Department of Nanotechnology and Ceramic Engineering; Dr. Zubair Ahmed, Assistant Professor at North South University; former Chief Engineer of LGED Nurul Huda,; and Chairman of FEAB’s Dhaka North City branch Engineer Abid Hasan.