Bangladesh Politics

Despite its historical popularity, the party is losing ground due to a combination of internal weaknesses, external pressures, and shifting public expectations.

“We do not want the Awami League to participate in the elections.”

A new political party formed by the students who led the July 2024 uprising represents a bold attempt to redefine Bangladeshi politics.

What could democracy in the region look like in 2040 and beyond?

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.

One of the primary reasons for skepticism lies in the historical context of governance in Bangladesh.

Instead of focusing on bringing accountability into the armed forces he leads, Army Chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman is busy offering unsolicited views on an election timeline.

Hasina’s Awami League has already been ousted from mainstream politics. Will it end up on the path toward violent extremism and strategic marginalization?

Mubashar Hasan, Smruti S. Pattanaik, and Leo Wigger discuss the causes and triggers of the protest that dethroned Bangladesh's PM and the outlook for the country moving forward.

The demand to ban the Awami League is growing louder, but the move runs the risk of opening a can of worms.

With public anger at a fever pitch and a leadership vacuum at the top, the AL’s future is in serious doubt.

The quota system sets aside 30 percent of government jobs for family members of those who fought in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

The students argue that the quota system is discriminatory and hinders merit-based appointments in government jobs.

The BNP lacks leadership on the ground in Bangladesh and the political environment it faces is far more repressive than that in India.