Views & Opinion

Untangling the opposition’s baseless assault on Bangladesh’s Election

Within the complex fabric of Bangladesh's political terrain, the aftermath of elections frequently manifests as a contentious arena of competing narratives. Regrettably, a troubling pattern has arisen in which individuals who are unsuccessful in elections seek to undermine the legitimacy of the voting system, both domestically and internationall...

Bangladesh’s National Election: Legitimacy and Geopolitics

Bangladesh has successfully concluded its 12th national parliamentary election and the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) has formed the government for the fourth consecutive term under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The questions that are being reverberated by Sheikh Hasina’s opponents are: How would the international...

The Sheikh Hasina Era: Transforming Bangladesh's Destiny

Dr Rashid Askari: Sheikh Hasina is poised to become the world's longest-serving female head of the government. She reshuffled her cabinet that marks a significant shift in her attitudes to governance. Her line of work seems to be in keeping with the principles of the party manifesto. Sheikh Hasina started a new era that stands as a transformat...

What does the West want in the name of a ‘free and fair election’?

Professor Mizanur Rahman: After the 7 January election, many states such as China, India, and Russia congratulated prime minister Sheikh Hasina for her fourth straight victory. However, the reactions from the West were a bit critical and mostly careful. Therefore, the French newspaper Le Monde called it ‘mixed reactions’. In a stat...

Call to boycott polls, intimidation, violence: A repeat of 2013-15 style undemocratic exercise by BNP-Jamaat

Dr. Pranab Kumar Panday: In the build-up to Bangladesh’s January 7 national election, the political landscape was fraught with tension. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by its acting chairman Tarique Rahman, mounted a campaign urging voters to boycott the election, in an attempt to disrupt the democratic process. Despite these effo...