Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Monday said the interim government that assumed power after the mass uprising has failed to lay the foundation for good governance, accountability, and a corruption-free institutional framework.
The anti-graft watchdog said reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government have, in most cases, deviated from their stated objectives and moved in the opposite direction of public expectations.
TIB disclosed the findings at a press conference titled “Expectations and Outcomes after the Fall of Authoritarianism” held at its Dhanmondi office in Dhaka.
According to the organization, the study examined developments related to justice, reforms, elections, irregularities and corruption, and the role of stakeholders from August 5, 2024, to January 31, 2026.
Despite strong public aspirations for a corruption-free and people-centric governance system, the research found the continued prevalence of religion-based political practices, a lack of internal democratic culture within political parties, power-centric politics, and the influence of money and muscle power. Factionalism and illegal occupation were also identified as ongoing challenges.
In its overall assessment, TIB said women’s participation and representation have increasingly become hostage to money-, muscle- and religion-based politics. The expansion and growing influence of religion-based politics became more visible during the period under review. In some cases, the organization noted, the government’s inaction or appeasement-oriented stance contributed to the empowerment of extremist groups.
The study also found that although the interim government initially emphasized civil society participation in various reform initiatives, a tendency to ignore civil society actors emerged over time. Recommendations put forward by civil society organizations during reform processes were often overlooked.
At the same time, TIB said that despite the presence of a significant number of civil society representatives within the government, they failed to play the expected role, contributing to the spread of negative public perceptions about civil society.
Speaking at the press conference, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman warned that failure to properly control mob violence would inevitably affect elections, as it has other sectors. He said the government bears responsibility in this regard, as it did not demonstrate sufficient initiative to prevent mob violence from the outset.
Addressing the origins of mob violence, he said such incidents in Bangladesh began from within the government itself. The first instance of mob formation, he claimed, occurred at the Secretariat, the country’s administrative center. Following that incident, external groups engaging in mob violence became emboldened and gained power, ultimately weakening the government’s moral standing.
Expressing hope that there would be no further loss of life surrounding elections, Iftekharuzzaman said election-related violence must not be repeated. However, he cautioned that the risk of violence is not limited to the February 12 election and may persist for several days afterward. He added that the government is fully aware of these risks and has both the authority and capacity to take necessary preventive measures.