Minorities in Bangladesh: What the government must do to restore trust

Bangladesh is experiencing a complex transitional period. The burst of optimism that followed the student-led July Revolution is showing signs of waning, revealing the daunting challenges of governance and maintaining social cohesion.

It has been over three months since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League, fled the country amidst mass protests. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has been seen as a harbinger of reform and a potential architect of a more inclusive political and social order. This ignited hopes for democratic reforms and greater human rights protections.

However, as the post-revolution momentum fades, the nation has been grappling with persistent unrest, fiscal deficits and the task of fulfilling the aspirations for systemic change that ignited the uprising.

Addressing Bangladesh’s deeply entrenched socio-political and economic challenges requires the government to set realistic expectations and set its priorities. The lack of public confidence in institutions, exacerbated by decades of corruption and authoritarian governance, remains a critical barrier to stability. While it is impossible to immediately fix all the flaws in the system, the interim government must first focus on building political trust with citizens.

Restoring trust involves transparent governance, ensuring justice for victims of the recent violence and bringing the country’s diverse communities to the table to rebuild...

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