The interim government’s ban on Bangladesh’s largest political party undermines democracy, empowers extremists, and threatens the region’s fragile stability As Bangladesh heads towards a national election, political uncertainty and unrest are intensifying. What should have been a routine democratic exercise…

Introduction More than one year on, the initial euphoria of the 2024 Gen-Z students’ apparent vision for a more equitable and just society has given way to a palpable sense of anxiety, particularly among religious minorities and women. The movement…

Bangladesh, a nation born from the secular ideals of its 1971 Liberation War, now finds itself at a precipice. What began as a student-led movement for equitable quota reforms in government jobs has been systematically hijacked by anti-liberation forces—both domestic…

The trial of Sheikh Hasina in the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh is one of the most polarizing political and legal events in recent history. For a generation that did not witness the upheavals of the 1980s, the restoration of…

Executive Summary Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s elected government on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh’s interim regime has initiated a sweeping and unprecedented crackdown on press freedom. This report documents the systematic repression of independent journalism, the hostile takeover of…

Probir Kumar Sarker The rise of Islamist extremism in Bangladesh poses a growing threat to regional stability, particularly for its neighbours India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Over the past three decades, from 1992 to 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed the emergence and…

Professor Dr Shyamal Das 1. Introduction It was a diplomatic embrace that spoke louder than any official statement. When Washington fell in love with Delhi, the political temperature of the entire subcontinent changed overnight. The much-praised new India–United States agreement…

Latiful Kabir For decades, Bangladesh has celebrated its progress in expanding access to education. More schools, more colleges, more universities—and more graduates each year. Yet the irony is stark: even as education rates rise, meaningful employment remains out of reach…

Professor Shyamal K Das Homeland Security, Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina, USA Preface 1988. We were then students at the University of Dhaka. A devastating flood had spread across the country. Many of our friends participated in a bread-making…

Introduction The transition in Bangladesh after August 5, 2024, provides a stark illustration of how political upheaval can evolve from mass protests to widespread disorder, revealing the deep-seated stresses within the country and the true nature of its new interim…