Current Conditions: Democracy & Governance

Bangladesh is a relatively young parliamentary democracy and one of the most populous Muslim-majority nations in the world. Bangladeshis have a strong sense of national identity and, unlike many other emerging democracies, are less vulnerable to divisions across ethnic, religious or regional lines. The country has a history of citizen activism and a prolific civil society. Elections, which have consistently resulted in power transfers since 1991, tend to be ardently contested and highly participatory. Bangladesh, however, had experienced major political upheavals in the first 20 years of nationhood following its 1971 liberation war. It remains poor, vulnerable to natural disasters, and susceptible to social upheaval and political conflict.

Bangladesh’s development as a democracy has been interlaced with military rule and undermined by political polarization, ineffective institutions of governance, and rampant corruption. Partisan deadlock over electoral issues led to the cancellation of the January 2007 parliamentary election and the establishment of a military-backed caretaker government, which managed the country under a state of emergency until December 2008. The successful parliamentary election in December 2008 and the emergence of Bangladesh’s 9th Parliament have brought about new opportunities for democratic development and a new sense of urgency among Bangladeshi stakeholders to reform political practices and institutions.

In part due to a series of reforms initiated by the last caretaker administration and adopted by the newly-elected government, Bangladesh has now entered a seminal period in its democratic history and faces both the promise and challenge of consolidating democratic reforms. New laws, for example, to prevent terrorism and money laundering, protect rights to information, and reform political and electoral processes will require commitment and capacity to be reinforced. Similarly, key institutions, especially the Parliament and the new commissions on human rights and corruption, need to develop as credible bodies of democratic governance. The capacity and effectiveness of local government in Bangladesh will also determine the country’s progress as a democratic and prosperous nation.