Another govt exists within the interim administration: Debapriya
Economists, rights activists, and civil society members stress the need for a serious and transparent evaluation of the interim government’s performance as it approaches the completion of its first year in office
A parallel power structure is operating within the current interim government, said Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), reports Prothom Alo.
Speaking at a roundtable at the Prothom Alo office in the capital's Karwan Bazar today (23 July), he said, "The question of government neutrality -- particularly in terms of neutrality towards political parties -- has become increasingly important.
"It is now fairly evident that what we officially recognise as the government has another power structure operating within it. This is no longer a secret; it is publicly known."
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The roundtable, titled "July Mass Uprising: One Year of Experience and Future", was organised by Prothom Alo. Noted economists, rights activists, and civil society members spoke at the event.
During the discussion, Debapriya also criticised the interim government's failure to reflect the spirit of anti-discrimination in its economic management and reform initiatives.
"We brought in a new government under the banner of anti-discrimination. But that spirit has not been reflected in its economic governance. The government lacks a clear moral stance.
"Though it talks about development based on universal human rights and standing up for the marginalised, no steps have been taken to identify or support those vulnerable communities," he said.
The eminent economist added, "As a result, potential reforms have excluded the poor and even failed to accommodate the productive entrepreneurial class. Now, the question is whether the government -- despite good intentions -- can act independently, given the internal power structures.
"The real challenge is whether it can navigate beyond the influence of this 'government within a government'."
Govt nears one-year mark; time for honest reckoning: Zillur
Speaking at the roundtable, Hossain Zillur Rahman, economist and executive chairman of the Power and Participation Research Centre, emphasised the need for a serious and transparent evaluation of the interim government's performance as it approaches the completion of its first year in office.
He said, "There have been many positive words and promising initiatives. But in my view, the real focus today should be on an honest reckoning of both the promises made and the progress achieved. Justice, reform, elections —what has actually changed in the past year? That is what needs to be examined."
He added, "This moment is not just about outlining future steps. It is about confronting what has and has not been done. The people have largely been pushed out of the equation. They have become spectators in a process where they should be central actors.
"Reengaging them must be a key priority, and elections are one of the major ways of that process. We also have to acknowledge the serious collapse in institutional capacity. If we don't reverse that, if we don't call it out clearly, national unity will remain a distant goal."
Referring to the recent meeting between top leaders of four political parties and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Zillur noted a troubling trend. "It is increasingly evident that the people are no longer part of the real conversation.
"Decisions about the country's direction are being made without their involvement. Everything is being done in their name, yet they are absent from the process," he said.
"This signals a creeping bunker mentality -- when leadership operates in isolation, relying only on institutions rather than people as true collaborators."
Govt on a reverse path to building a discrimination-free Bangladesh: Anu
The interim government has moved in the opposite direction of what was needed to build a discrimination-free Bangladesh, said Anu Muhammad, member of the Democratic Rights Committee and former professor at Jahangirnagar University.
Speaking at the roundtable, he said, "It's been a year, and I can say this clearly — I have grounds to raise questions and demand accountability."
People had hoped the fall of Sheikh Hasina's autocratic rule would lead to a genuine democratic transition, he noted. "People expected a break from authoritarianism. They hoped for democratic change, but that expectation has been defeated."
He added, "There was hope for a society free of discrimination. But instead, those who promote divisive politics -- based on religion, caste, class, or gender -- have become increasingly dominant. It feels as if these very forces have taken control of the current system."
Fear still persists in judiciary: Sara Hossain
One year after the July Uprising, fear continues to cast a shadow over the country's judiciary, said senior Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain.
Speaking at the roundtable, she also raised concerns about the erosion of judicial independence.
"Fear still persists -- not just in society, but within the judiciary itself. Judges live in constant anxiety, wondering if they will face backlash for their rulings or statements. If any group criticises a judge, it is over for them. Their future is at stake.
"In such an environment, how can anyone deliver a fair verdict? Let alone a fair one -- who will even dare to pass a verdict?" she asked.
Sara said that although judicial independence has been widely discussed over the past year, no substantial structural reforms have taken place.
"Despite all the talk, we haven't seen any institutional change we can take pride in," she noted.
"Some initial changes were made, but whether they were appropriate still requires deeper discussion. We still don't know why some High Court judges were removed after the mass uprising. These issues remain untouchable. Even the media has hesitated to report on them," she said.
Addressing the broader issue of justice reform, the senior lawyer said, "At the very least, we must create a space where people feel they can seek justice. Without that, everything else is meaningless."
Never seen a govt run via Facebook before: Altaf Parvez
Writer and researcher Altaf Parvez remarked that the year since the July uprising has brought a mix of limited positive developments and numerous disappointments.
"For the first time, I witnessed a culture of governance shaped by Facebook trends and a repeated surrender to populist pressure. A dangerously unchecked right-wing attitude has swept across society like a tsunami. Mob violence targeting dissenters has surged," he said at the roundtable.
Altaf further said, "We have endured the frustration of living under a government that is a little efficient or inefficient."
He also acknowledged a few encouraging trends.
"Young people are more politically conscious now than ever before. A political movement outside the traditional two-party structure has begun to emerge and I believe it will continue to grow. That's a positive sign."
However, he pointed out that despite the employment-driven nature of last year's uprising, the government has failed to deliver in that area. "Over the past year, employment has not increased. On the contrary, both growth and investment have declined."
The roundtable, moderated by Prothom Alo Executive Editor Sajjad Sharif, featured a diverse panel of speakers, including poet and public intellectual Farhad Mazhar; writer and researcher Altaf Parvez; filmmaker Qamar Ahmad Simon; political analyst and Electoral Reform Commission Member Zahed Ur Rahman; development economist Maha Mirza; Press Institute of Bangladesh Research Expert Sohul Ahmed; and Prof Sayeed Ferdous.
The discussion began with a moment of silence to honour the victims of the recent fighter jet crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara's Diabari.
