Press Release
Dhaka, 16 October 2026: The unprecedented opportunity to establish an accountable system of governance and undertake state reform, created by the people through the blood-stained July Mass Uprising, has been held hostage by power politics and a vicious bureaucratic cycle, observed Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The desired foundations for state reform have not been laid due to the reluctance of political forces, bureaucratic influence, and the interim government’s inherent disposition towards compromise. Consequently, following the 13th National Parliamentary Election, state reform and the implementation of the July National Charter have become mired in deep legal, constitutional and political uncertainty. TIB believes this has happened because political parties and the bureaucracy have failed to learn the lessons of the July Mass Uprising.
In a statement issued today, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, “Despite pledging in their 31-point agenda and election manifesto to implement the state reform agenda and the July National Charter “to the letter”, MPs from the winning party have created uncertainty over state reform and the implementation of the July National Charter by taking the ominous position of refusing to be sworn in as members of the proposed Constitutional Reform Council, even though they were among those who supported the referendum. Constitutional amendments through the Constitutional Amendment Committee, as well as state reform through legislative and institutional processes, have effectively become subject to the exclusive discretion of the ruling alliance. Of the 133 ordinances issued by the interim government, the current government has enacted a substantial number into law. Those that further consolidated the power of the government and the executive branch with inadequate accountability have been passed, while those conducive to establishing accountability have been repealed or suspended. In effect, collusion between power politics and bureaucratic forces is obstructing the achievement of the July Movement’s central objective: establishing an accountable and answerable system of governance. Meanwhile, the unrestrained transfer of the practices of land grabbing, extortion and partisan appointments under the slogan ‘Now it is our turn’ by the leading political party that emerged victorious following the fall of authoritarian rule has made state reform and the implementation of the July National Charter virtually impossible.”
The TIB Executive Director further said, “By repealing the Supreme Court Secretariat (Amendment) Ordinance and the Supreme Court Judges Appointment Ordinance, both issued during the interim government’s tenure to ensure judicial independence, the government has taken a regressive stance on state reform. Despite consensus among all political parties, the government’s decision to revert to the previous 2004 law instead of passing the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Amendment Ordinance into law with the necessary revisions has closed off the path to overcoming the crisis of public trust that has plagued the ACC since its inception. The recently enacted law replacing the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance runs counter to the long-standing public aspiration for a genuinely independent and effective commission and conflicts with international standards. Furthermore, following the repeal of the Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Ordinance, legislation has been enacted that shields the agencies most responsible for enforced disappearances and related human rights violations. Under the guise of dissolving the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the agency widely associated with a substantial share of human rights violations in the country has instead been empowered further under a new name. Meanwhile, despite consensus on establishing an independent Police Commission, no initiative has been taken. Although there was agreement on requiring all elected representatives to disclose their asset declarations within three months of assuming office and update them regularly, there is no indication that such a directive or practice has been introduced following the MPs’ swearing-in. Overall, by moving in the opposite direction from the public aspirations that underpinned the July Movement, the government is advancing towards an executive power structure devoid of accountability and answerability.”
Dr Iftekharuzzaman questioned how the government and political parties could so quickly forget the consequences of turning all constitutional and statutory institutions responsible for ensuring accountability - including the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, the ACC and the National Human Rights Commission- into partisan institutions under the authoritarian regime, despite having suffered the consequences themselves. He said, “The July National Charter was formulated on the basis of practical experience accumulated during the authoritarian regime and in earlier periods. Despite differences on certain issues, the ruling party and other political parties had reached a consensus in the broader public interest. Now, driven by the temptation to exercise unchecked majoritarian power, the ruling party has taken a path that runs counter to those lessons, while the opposition alliance remains largely engaged in pursuing partisan political gains.” TIB called on all political parties to demonstrate the same goodwill and wisdom in achieving the objectives of state reform as they did in reaching an unprecedented political consensus, despite Bangladesh’s deeply polarised political culture, in formulating the July National Charter to promote democracy, good governance and social justice, and prevent a recurrence of authoritarian rule.
Media Contact:
Mohammad Tauhidul Islam
Director, Outreach and Communication
Phone: +8801713107868
Email: tauhidul@ti-bangladesh.org
