CPD recommends dropping the idea of a bicameral parliament in Bangladesh

The organisation issues the recommendation before political parties sign the July Charter

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has called for strengthening Bangladesh’s unicameral parliament, abandoning the idea of creating a bicameral legislature.

At a dialogue on Thursday, the private think tank recommended legal, institutional, and structural reforms to improve the current system and advised dropping the bicameral proposal altogether.

It called for strengthening the existing structure through legal, institutional, and structural reforms.

After the student-public uprising, the interim government took the initiative to reform various sectors of the state.

In continuation of this, the July Charter, also known as the National Charter, has been finalised by compiling 84 issues, including the formation of a bicameral legislature.

The CPD recommendation came before political parties signed the Charter on Oct 15.

A research report by the organisation said, “Although several reform ideas proposed by the Election Commission, such as ‘bicameralism’, proportional representation, inclusion of non-partisan individuals or formation of appointment committees, are attractive in principle, they are not effective in the political reality of Bangladesh.

The report warned that such measures could remain largely symbolic and risk increasing political deadlock and centralisation of power.

“Emphasis should be placed on ensuring that members of private parties can bring bills, and committees can work qualitatively.

“Arrangements should be made so that MPs cannot praise the party leader for eight minutes, and that everyone can freely ask questions to the prime minister.”