Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher on Friday said that without actual reforms public confidence in elections will be undermined.

A hasty or poorly managed election will fail to meet people’s expectations, he warned.

Speaking as the chief guest at a party programme in Comilla city, the Jamaat leader said: “We want a participatory, free, fair and impartial election — a celebration of democracy. All legitimate parties should be able to participate and a level playing field must be ensured beforehand.”

He said that if the government acts sincerely to remove these barriers, there will be no hindrance to timely elections.

“Elections must take place; otherwise, the country could face a crisis,” he added.

On the proportional representation (PR) system, Taher said those committed to democracy have a moral obligation to accept it, citing a recent survey indicating that 71% of the public supports PR.

He claimed that elections under the PR system would prevent autocracy and ensure credibility, unlike the traditional 54-year system.