With parliamentary politics once again becoming vibrant and engaging, a clear fault line is gradually emerging between the ruling party, BNP, and the opposition, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). Not too long ago, these two parties were political allies—both in government and in opposition—jointly leading street movements against the rise of authoritarian rule under Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League. Their eventual split largely stemmed from a redrawing of the country’s political landscape following the uprising against Hasina’s dictatorial regime, which ultimately consigned her party to political irrelevance. Both parties have been victims of egregious abuses of power, including the criminalisation of state institutions under Hasina’s rule. They endured severe persecution—enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, fabricated charges, prolonged detention without trial, and brutal physical violence. At one point, their political futures appeared nearly extinguished due to ...

  As political negotiations intensify across party lines, the possibility of a national reform consensus—once unthinkable—now appears within reach. Over the past weeks, Bangladesh has witnessed a marathon of political dialogues involving all openly active parties—ranging from allies to adversaries—aimed at reaching common ground on vital constitutional, electoral, and institutional reforms. These discussions,under the aegis of the National Consensus Commission created by the interim government, mark a significant departure from past political norms. Until recently, talks were verging on a deadlock, particularly over key constitutional issues: limiting the Prime Minister’s term, creating a National Constitutional Council, and establishing a second chamber in the Jatiya Sangsad. Encouragingly, parties have begun softening their stances, suggesting that consensus may be possible. Such agreement is essential for drafting what is being called the July Charter—a foundational document bas...

The recently-concluded Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Bangladesh’s human rights records has been quite a surreal event. When the local media reported arrests of more than10,000 BNP activists, including its top leaders, centring the party’s October 28 rally, diplomats in Geneva were told that Bangladesh had ensured abundant political space for the opposition. Law minister Anisul HUq, who led the Bangladesh delegation and placed its progress report on implementing recommendations of the 2018 UPR, said that Bangladesh was fully committed to upholding fundamental principles and legal obligations of human rights. Certainly, there was no dearth of diplomatic niceties among the representatives of 110 countries, as almost all of them applauded Bangladesh for engaging in the process. But the recommendations they put forward were nothing close to praising the state of human rights in Bangladesh; rather they reflected deep concerns over the worsening situation. But the minister in his post-UP...

  At a time when Bangladesh’s position on the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index is 127th out of 140 countries - lowest among South Asian neighbours except  Pakistan and Afghanistan, with a continual drift over the last three years - it is heartening to hear our new chief justice, Obaidul Hassan, pronounce that “the judiciary and courts should not be politicised in any manner.” Addressing his fellow judges and members of the Supreme Court Bar Association on October 8, that  "In light of the constitution, let the judicial administration be transparent, independent, free from corruption, and congruent with the idea of social justice." CJ Hassan’s open expression of the desire to not politicise the judiciary is significant, and not only because the main opposition has been alleging for quite some time that the current judiciary system is entirely under the control of the government , but for its own sake.There’s a growing perception that as we are witnessing a disturbi...

It is quite encouraging to hear Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tell British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly that the Awami League government wants the national polls in Bangladesh to be free and fair like they are in the United Kingdom. It is probably the most specific statement to persuade the international community that there won’t be any repetition of the previous two parliamentary elections widely seen as neither free nor fair. Her party won the January 2014 election well before a single vote was cast, as it was boycotted by others following the unilateral abolition of the constitutional provision for election-time non-partisan caretaker government. Though the next election held in December 2018 was a participatory one, it was, again, marred with controversies, including ballot stuffing on the night before, reportedly aided by government officials and members of the law enforcement agencies. Besides those two parliamentary elections, a few other elections held over the last 10 year...