At the end of July, Bangladesh's streets were transformed. What started as a student protest quickly escalated into a Gotham-like scene, with violence and rebellion erupting between the government and its citizens. The youth led the charge, and soon, the entire population joined in.
Like vigilantes, these students restored order when the police force withdrew in fear after Sheikh Hasina resigned on August 5. For that moment, they were the heroes we needed. But vigilante justice is never the answer to systemic decay. Bangladesh needed more than bravery in the streets -- it needed an overhaul and a fresh start.
Now that we are several weeks into the interim government’s tenure, led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, we stand at the precipice of change. Expectations are soaring, and the pressure is immense. The task: To undo decades of wrongs and lay the foundation for a better Bangladesh.
While there are numerous sectors needing attention, four key reforms are essential to build Bangladesh 2.0.
1. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC): The first line of defense
The Anti-Corruption Commission once symbolized hope. Two decades ago, it was designed to be the people’s shield against corruption, but now it is a shadow of its former self. The ACC today is not just ineffective -- it has morphed into a weapon used selectively against opposing voices, while the real perpetrators walk free with most large-scale scandals going unchecked. We even saw how, in a controversial 2023 high court ruling, the ACC can even sack employees without proper reason.
The reason the ACC reform is of utmost priority is that even though the political parties come and go from power and have to convince voters to elect them, civil servants don’t operate that way. The ACC has the power to prevent corruption among both politicians and government officials. The citizens of the country interact a lot more with government employees than with politicians.
Corruption has infiltrated every layer of our society. We rank 10th from the bottom on the Corruption Perceptions Index -- our worst standing in years. Bangladeshis abroad often speak of how corruption pushed them to leave, not just in search of opportunities but in pursuit of justice denied at home.
The organization’s autonomy has been destroyed and any reforms must not only change the past people, but also the system of appointing the right people. To rebuild trust, reforms must ensure the ACC’s independence. Appointments should be made by an impartial council, not by those who themselves need to be held accountable.
2. Election Commission: The guardian of democracy
A democracy falters when its elections are rigged, manipulated, or seen as mere formalities. In the recent past, the Election Commission has been seen facilitating all the three above. Were they truly powerless, or simply complicit in preserving the status quo? I lean towards the latter.
Many say they seemed powerless, but they chose to be powerless to benefit the powerful. They simply did not have the intent to exercise appropriate authority over the law enforcement necessary to create a neutral ground around election time
The solution isn’t just to grant the Election Commission more power but to ensure they have the will or intent to use it. Reform must focus on ensuring they stand firm against government overreach, use state resources judiciously, and provide a level playing field for all parties.
Once again, appointments should be made by a neutral body -- not a government with a vested interest in the outcome.
3. Judiciary: The last bastion of hope
When all else fails, we turn to the courts. But what happens when even the courts are tainted by bias? While our higher courts still retain some authority, the bigger problem lies with the appointment of certain biased judges. To truly defend the nation's people against any harmful government intentions, the higher courts must remain neutral and possess the constitutional mandate to enforce laws impartially.
Reform should begin with the lower courts, which, under the previous government, often acted as tools to execute the ruling party's will, seldom delivering true justice. Currently, genuine legal judgments often require appealing a lower court's decision in the higher courts.
However, not everyone has the resources to pursue such appeals, and the time it takes to move a case from the lower courts to the higher courts can significantly delay the process. As the saying goes, justice delayed is justice denied. Starting from the rusted “garodghor” to the cages of the court stands -- a complete rehaul is required.
The interim government must start by reforming the judiciary, beginning with the lower courts. If these are cleansed of corruption and bias, we can begin to restore faith in the legal system. The current notion that the accused are guilty until proven innocent must be turned on its head.
4. The nexus: ACC, EC, and judiciary together
These three institutions -- ACC, the Election Commission, and the judiciary -- are interdependent. The ACC, if functioning properly, can bar corrupt politicians from running for office. A strengthened Election Commission can then ensure that these candidates don’t find loopholes to get elected. And if both these institutions falter, the judiciary must be the safety net, the final barrier protecting the people from the excesses of power.
This is the vision for Bangladesh 2.0: A nation where politicians can no longer treat elections like a formality, where corruption doesn’t bleed into every sector, and where the courts protect the rights of the people, not the privileges of the powerful.
The road to Bangladesh 2.0 is long and fraught with obstacles, but it is one we must travel. Reform is not a luxury -- it's a necessity. And as we embark on this journey, let us remember: A nation is only as strong as the institutions that uphold it.
We are not only reforming Bangladesh -- we are building a new one.
Ashfaq Zaman is the founder of Dhaka Forum and a strategic international affairs expert.
