‘Minimum Trust’ Between Ruling Party and BNP Stymies Elections: Expert

Dhaka, Bangladesh – Speaking at a panel discussion hosted by the Gold Institute for International Strategy on the topic of Bangladeshi elections, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University provided insight into the current political climate in the country.

When asked about the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Professor Ahmed highlighted that Bangladesh has struggled to achieve true political stability since gaining independence in 1971. “What Bangladesh has experienced since 2019 is more akin to regime stability than political stability,” he noted. “There are many countries without political stability that are still developing economically due to regime stability.”

Looking back historically, Professor Ahmed pointed out that significant political change in Bangladesh has only occurred through mass protests involving millions of citizens. “The current opposition has so far failed to bring more than a million protesters to the streets or stall the economy, which would be required to prompt political transition,” he said.

Touching on the deep mistrust between the BNP and the ruling Awami League, Professor Ahmed emphasized that the two parties hold vastly different perspectives on foundational issues like the 1971 liberation war, the father of the nation, the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, and the 2004 grenade attack on the then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina. “Trust is the minimum prerequisite for holding national elections under the Westminster parliamentary system,” he stated.

Professor Ahmed also characterized the BNP as facing a crisis of leadership due to reliance on family connections, diminishing its chances of returning to power soon. He noted additional challenges the party would face if it formed government, including a contentious relationship with the Jamaat-e-Islami party and potential detriment to Indian interests. “The BNP regaining national leadership currently appears improbable,” he concluded.