International Crisis Group
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Bangladesh | South Asia
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Bangladesh ended two years of effective military rule in December 2008 after largely peaceful and credible elections saw the Awami League voted back into office. The elections represented a step towards developing a more effective democracy in Bangladesh, but significant challenges still remain for South Asia’s poorest country.

On 11 January 2007 Bangladesh’s military installed a caretaker government (CTG), and declared a state of emergency to clamp down on escalating violence between the country’s two largest political parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP). The CTG, which was largely indistinguishable from the military during the two year state of emergency, sought to stamp out corruption and hold general elections by December 2008. The takeover prompted little international criticism, however, due to the poor democratic performance of both parties while in power.

Faced with a failing reform agenda and declining popular support, the CTG was forced to negotiate an end to the state of emergency with the political parties. Talks beginning at the end of 2007 overcame many obstacles to multi-party elections, including the release from prison of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (Awami League President) and Khaleda Zia (BNP Chairperson). Anticipating defeat, the BNP forced a slight delay in the election schedule but its rival, the Awami League, eventually prevailed in the December 2008 election wining an overwhelming majority of the votes, and leaving the opposition parties in disarray. The Awami League’s mandate was further strengthened in the January 2009 local polls.
 
In the aftermath of the democratic transition, the political parties face the ongoing challenge of making parliament work. This requires both main parties to seek accommodation with each other and the army. The army wants to limit civilian oversight as a safeguard against political interference; particularly regarding the army’s access to lucrative UN peacekeeping operations. Widespread corruption, which worsened during the CTG’s tenure, remains an issue.  The founding families continue to dominate the Awami League and the BNP and institutionalising democracy both within and outside their structures remains an uphill task.

Bangladesh is also faced with several challenges that should transcend partisan politics such as weak judicial and law enforcement agencies, ethnic conflict, poor relations with regional neighbours, poverty, illiteracy and low development indicators (particularly for women). Militant Islamist movements also remain an issue, with the banned Jamaat’ul Mujahideen Bangladesh continuing to concern security officials. Also no government has yet tackled the culture of impunity, which would mean investigating past and present crimes including those perpetrated by the security forces and senior politicians.

Crisis Group reporting on Bangladesh will continue to cover civil-military relations, attempts to stabilise and institutionalise democracy and militant Islamist movements.

Our reports on Bangladesh are listed below, starting with the most recent. You can also search for relevant reports using the search box in the top right-hand side of this page.

Articles, op-eds, speeches and media releases can be found under the media section.


Recent reports & briefings