Bangladesh Politics

Bangladesh stands at a historic crossroads. We must not fail.

Rebuilding political legitimacy will be an uphill battle for the Awami League, requiring a reimagining of its organizational structure and a substantive ideological recalibration.

The Awami League is unlikely to make a swift comeback in Bangladesh's political landscape

Bangladesh’s entrenched political culture, rooted in decades of illiberal democracy, violence, and bad governance, casts a long shadow.

Despite their legacy of activism – including during the July Revolution – Bangladesh’s leftist groups remain marginalized in the broader political discourse.

After a long period of military rule, the military’s overt role in politics has diminished since the 1990s – as evidenced by its restrained role during the revolution of July-August 2024.

As the National Citizens’ Committee evolves into a political party it will face challenges establishing its own place in a deeply polarized political arena.

The BNP’s secretary general says the party sees the mass uprising of July-August 2024 as “the emergence of a new opportunity to transform Bangladesh into a democratic state.” 

Rather than addressing the challenges faced by Hindus, political parties – particularly the Awami League – have a history of politicizing their struggles.

The upcoming change in the U.S. administration is likely to affect Bangladesh's politics, economy, climate change adaptation, and more.

Many are wondering whether the pattern of politicization in the judiciary is repeating, simply with a change in the direction of political bias.