Salahuddin Ahmed, a Standing Committee member of the BNP, has said that questions have arisen about whether a bicameral parliament is necessary, considering the country's financial capacity, mentioning that no consensus has yet been reached on the matter despite several days of discussions.He made the statement during a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, following the 14th day of the second round of dialogue between political parties and the National Consensus Commission.Salahuddin said: “Various proposals are being presented on the matter. Some are in favor of proportional representation. There are also discussions around the 'power function,' how regular bills would be passed and how constitutional amendments would be handled in the upper house. Others have raised concerns about the financial burden. Despite three and a half days of discussions, no consensus has yet been reached.”

He stated that political parties have assigned the responsibility of making a decision on this issue to the National Consensus Commission.

The commission is expected to provide its opinion next week, after which the BNP will respond accordingly, Salahuddin added.

He declined to comment further on the matter.

Salahuddin said discussions were held specifically on the upper house of a potential bicameral parliament.

There was no disagreement regarding the election procedure for the lower house, he said.

According to him, most political parties also generally agree on the need for an upper house. "However, the structure and power dynamics of that chamber have become a matter of considerable debate."

Salahuddin reiterated that the BNP maintains its earlier position on the issue, based on the party’s 31-point reform proposal.

He emphasized that the party’s intention is to ensure the inclusion of distinguished individuals from various walks of life, especially those who are socially or economically disadvantaged, so their talent, wisdom, and experience can contribute to nation-building.

He said this proposal was made with the goal of enriching the nation.

The BNP proposed 100 seats for the upper house, he said, adding that the party wants the upper house to be formed in a manner similar to how reserved seats for women are allocated based on the