Political culture of Bangladesh has to be changed and politics should be more open. Youth and greater section of people would not allow the old political culture to continue. The demoncratic institutions must be strengthened for sake of the future of the country.
Experts made these remarks in the inaugural session of ‘Bengal Delta Conference 2025’ held in a city hotel yesterday, Friday. Dhaka Institute of Research and Analytics (DAIRA) organised the two-day international conference.
The speakers further said Bangladesh expressed an aspiration for paradigm shift in governance after July mass uprising. They also warned that the tendencies of centralising power, perpetuating inequality, and exploiting religion for political purposes could undermine all progress.
The two-day conference is being held under the theme “Bangladesh at Crossroads: Rethinking Politics, Economics, Geopolitical Strategy.”
The opening session began in the morning with the national anthem. A one-minute silence was observed in memory of the martyrs of July. Afterwards, the organisers screened a documentary on the July Uprising and the overall situation in Bangladesh.
On the first day of the conference, five working sessions took place along with several keynote addresses and special sessions.
Defining a new political culture
Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that Bangladesh must bring change to its political culture, and a new definition of political culture must be set. At the same time, institutions of Bangladesh must be strengthened. Politics should not only be about the desire to come to power but about nation-building, institution-building, improving education, and fostering opportunities for the younger generation.
Touhid Hossain further said the youth who initiated this change will not allow the country to return to the pre-2024 political reality.
“Perhaps they (the youth) cannot implement it right now, because politics is still in the hands of our generation—those who are clinging to power. But they will not last long. The youth may make mistakes, but they have vitality and a willingness to learn. They will gain experience—maybe through difficult paths—but they will learn, and we will see change.”
Fascist structures remain
In his welcome remarks, Professor Mushtaq Khan, economist at SOAS University of London, said that the July Uprising, led by mass participation, brought about change in Bangladesh, and among the organisations created in its aftermath is DAIRA, the conference organiser.
He noted that one year after the uprising, many express frustration—some with political parties, some with the interim government’s achievements, some with law and order, others with the reform process, and some with the trial of perpetrators.
Yet Mushtaq Khan emphasised the achievements of 2024.
He said it’s true that there are frustrations but he wanted to stress Bangladesh’s enormous achievement in 2024. An uprising led by unarmed people toppled one of the most violent, repressive, bloodthirsty governments in the region. Bangladesh is a country that has repeatedly ousted autocratic regimes through new movements.
He added that the fascist state structures have not changed, which is a matter of concern and disappointment for many citizens and students. But he expressed optimism that Bangladesh’s politicians now understand that returning to the old political arrangement is impossible—people will not accept it. While the old power structures have not been dismantled, they cannot be sustained through mere reconfiguration. This is because such structures cannot ensure employment, health, or education. People will not compromise with their current demands.
Politics, he said, must become more open. It is not only about amending parts of the constitution, but about examining where parties get their funding, to whom they are accountable, and how power structures are built.
Strengthening democratic institutions is the only option
Mahfuz Anam, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star, said, “Bangladeshis dream big, but we have failed at institution-building. We use democracy to gain power, but once in power, we begin to destroy democracy. Sadly, that is the history of Bangladesh.”
“No matter how good a democratic framework you build, if its practitioners do not believe in democracy, it is bound to fail. Unless political parties internalise tolerance, dialogue, and a culture of working together, democracy cannot survive. For the future of Bangladesh, there is no alternative to strengthening democratic institutions.”
Siddharth Varadarajan, founding Editor of The Wire (India), said Bangladesh should build a framework of empowerment and accountability that enables people to come to power and holds them accountable.
Most important, he stressed, is to create political structures and culture that prevent institutions from being hijacked, corrupted, or destroyed, as seen even in established democracies.
Siddharth Varadarajan also said politics in Bangladesh, as in many other countries, has often been based on inequality, leading to authoritarianism, fascism, oligarchic politics, and chaos.
Another crucial point, The Wire founding editor emphasised, is to ensure that politicians cannot use religion as a tool to divide people.
Varadarajan noted that even in India, the consequences of religious polarisation have been devastating—destroying social cohesion and undermining economic potential.
Mazlee bin Malik, Malaysia’s former Education Minister and Chairman of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS), said Bangladesh could become a beacon of hope for the Global South.
He emphasised the need for Bangladesh to move beyond a labour-dependent economy toward a knowledge-based economy.
Mazlee bin Malik also highlighted Bangladesh’s opportunities in developing a maritime economy and underlined its vital leadership role in addressing climate risks.
Rethinking what kind of democracy we want
Deepak Gyawali, Nepal’s former Water Resources Minister, said, “We are standing at a historic crossroads—not just for the Bengal Delta, but for all of South Asia.”
He argued it is time for South Asian nations to rethink democracy, since the Westminster model imported from the UK has failed in the region—in Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. In his lifetime alone, Nepal has seen democracy fail three times.
“Are we talking about democracy, or about good governance? We have parties, elections, democratic processes. But the essence of democracy—empowering the people—has not been achieved. Most countries in this region lack good governance and accountability. Therefore, we must rethink what kind of democracy we want. This question must be asked not only in Bangladesh but across South Asia,” he added.
Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University and a member of the advisory council of the Bengal Delta Conference 2025, said the Bay of Bengal is the principal gateway connecting Bangladesh to the world.