Bangladesh at a Crossroads: Navigating Reform, Justice, and Political Stability

Reading Time: 4 minutes Bangladesh is undergoing one of the most critical and complex transitions in its political history. The sudden fall of the Awami League’s decades-long hold on power in August 2024 has ushered in a fragile yet hopeful phase under the stewardship of Dr Muhammad Yunus. His interim government carries the heavy mandate of dismantling deeply entrenched systems of dynastic politics, corruption, and human rights abuses—challenges that have long undermined Bangladesh’s democratic development and social cohesion. The Legacy of Dynastic Politics and Entrenched Corruption Since its independence, Bangladesh’s political landscape has been dominated by two principal parties, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), both of which have become synonymous with dynastic rule, nepotism, and endemic corruption. These political families have controlled not just formal institutions but also economic networks and patronage systems, embedding vested interests across the state apparatus. This system has stifled meritocracy,