The national mood today, rooted in the spirit of 1971 and re-energized by the student and civic movement of July 2024, demands evidence, not rhetoric. The new government now needs to act fast to deliver their promises in line with the party’s 31 points, election manifesto, and the spirit of the July Charter.
The first 100 days of the new administration must therefore signal three things clearly :
- A decisive clean-up of governance beginning within the ruling party itself that demonstrates a break from impunity;
- A restoration of law and order based on zero tolerance for mobocracy and political shelter;
- Pro-poor, job-creating economic growth that speaks directly to the aspirations of millions of young Bangladeshis
Alongside these priorities, the government must also widen political and democratic space, protect social justice, and pursue a balanced, stability-focused foreign policy. Promises, be they family, farmer, and health cards, canal restoration, and mass tree planting cannot remain slogans but must start becoming reality.
The following is an indicative, citizen-facing roadmap for what the first 100 days could achieve.
Let people lead the mandate
The opening week sets the tone. Creating a high-power implementation & monitoring cell under the Prime Minister’s Office -- co-chaired by a respected non-partisan figure ( a retired judge or economist) and inclusive of youth, women, business, minorities, disability advocates, and diaspora voices -- would anchor the 100-day push in public legitimacy rather than bureaucracy.
Inviting the opposition and civil society to contribute priority reform proposals -- and openly acknowledging those adopted -- would model a new political maturity.
Curb corruption -- starting within
A credible transformation begins with unmistakable early signals. The first 15 days must make clear that party affiliation no longer guarantees protection. Immediate suspension of any public official or party figure formally charged with extortion, land grabbing, or tender manipulation would demonstrate a meaningful departure from old habits.
Public asset declarations by ministers, MPs, mayors, judges, and all bureaucrats along with the police and military would reinforce transparency. A secure whistleblower mechanism with legal anonymity and visible crackdowns on the country’s top rent-seeking hotspots -- including police and courts, the secretariat, ports, passport and land offices, markets, highways, and bus stands -- would begin to rebuild institutional trust.
Over the next two months, the focus should shift to structural fixes: Default e-procurement, independent audits of major past contracts, rotation of sensitive posts, and support the judiciary to fast-track long-pending cases, including the murders of Sagar-Runi and Hadi, and ensure justice for the victims of the July 2024 massacre.
By day 100, steps toward fast-track anti-corruption courts, stronger rules against illicit enrichment, and open-data budgeting should be in motion. Accountability must be systemic, not symbolic.
Restore rule of law and end mobocracy
Public safety demands both symbolism and substance. A clear statement rejecting extrajudicial actions and committing to equal protection should set the tone.
A national anti-mob protocol, rapid police deployment, and merit-based postings -- supported by secure channels to report interference -- would help depoliticize law enforcement.
Protect incomes, create jobs, expand civic space
Early measures must cushion vulnerable households and open pathways to work. Visible job creation -- through paid apprenticeships, a strengthened fund for women’s enterprise, childcare incentives and mandatory workplace day care, and better protections for domestic workers -- would support livelihoods and inclusion. Civic openness should advance alongside economic reform: Reviewing politically motivated cases, consulting on media rules, and engaging student groups can help widen democratic space.
Bangladesh first -- diplomacy for stability
A stability-focused foreign policy requires practical cooperation with neighbours on labour mobility, trade facilitation, water sharing, border management, and energy links. Strengthening track-two engagement -- through think tanks, academia, and business networks -- can widen diplomatic channels.
We must also do more for export-diversification initiatives and stronger migrant-worker protections, including better pre-departure training, reduced fraud, safer and more affordable migration processes, and less harassment at airports.
Social justice for every citizen
Trust depends on fairness. A government-wide non-discrimination directive and disability-inclusive standards would reinforce equal access. Urban policy should prioritize slum upgrading -- starting with Korail -- while avoiding sudden evictions. In the chars, haors, and hill tracts, mobile health, education, and climate-resilient housing can extend state services.
The bottom line
The new government’s mandate carries both opportunity and obligation. Citizens expect improvement in daily lives, fairer governance, and safety without discrimination. Only bold, visible steps -- backed by internal accountability -- can restore confidence.
If the government embraces responsibility, openness, and fairness -- and even half of these commitments are implemented -- the next 100 days could spark lasting change in how Bangladesh is governed and grows.
Arifur Rahman Prodhan is a political analyst and development researcher.
