Without reforms, fascism could return, even with a fair election: Ali Riaz

Ali Riaz, vice chairman of the National Consensus Commission and chief of the Constitutional Reform Commission, warned that fascism could return to Bangladesh, even if a government is formed through a fair election, unless critical reforms are implemented.

He made this statement today (20 March) during a roundtable discussion titled "Political Consensus and Citizen's Thoughts on State Reform," organised by Citizens for Good Governance (Shujan) in the capital.

In his address, Ali Riaz highlighted the urgent need for state reforms. "Over the past 15 years, Bangladesh's already weak institutions have become even more fragile. In the 54 years since independence, no effort has been made to build strong institutions," he said.

He also pointed out the systematic destruction of the judiciary over the last 15 years.

Ali Riaz stressed that without restructuring the administration and judiciary, fascism could re-emerge, even with a fair election. "To prevent the return of authoritarianism in Bangladesh and to create an accountable state, structural changes are necessary, and reform programs must be carried out," he warned.

Ali Riaz added that reform is not just the government's responsibility but a long-awaited demand from political parties and citizens. "To create a national consensus on reforms and draft a citizen charter, people must raise their voices and actively participate in the process," he urged.

Justice Emdadul Haque, head of the Judiciary Reform Commission and a member of the National Consensus Commission, also spoke about the ongoing need for judicial reform.

"In the past, many questions and controversies have arisen regarding the judiciary. The Judicial Reform Commission has addressed these issues in detail in its report and has provided necessary recommendations. I believe reform is an ongoing process, but now is the time to implement the reform agenda," he said.

Monir Haidar, special assistant to the chief adviser, stressed that while reform was once seen negatively, it is now widely desired. 

"Before starting reforms, we must first clearly understand our vision for the state. Unfortunately, Bangladesh has never undertaken a well-thought-out initiative regarding state philosophy and reform. Shortly after independence and the adoption of the constitution, various issues began to surface. As a result, many amendments had to be made to the constitution, but most of them were driven by personal interests," he said.

Monir also noted that, based on the experience of the last 15 years, reform is now an unavoidable reality.

Dilara Chowdhury, former professor at Jahangirnagar University, highlighted the importance of reform within political parties. "Although there are many issues within our political parties, the state must still be governed through these parties. Therefore, political parties need reforms and must continue democratic practices within their structures," she said.

"Reform is an ongoing process, so necessary reforms should be carried out, and elections should be held as soon as possible," she added.

Badiul Alam Majumder, head of the Election Reform Commission and secretary of Shujan, criticised the autocratic regime under Sheikh Hasina. "Hasina established an autocratic regime in the country, a process that took her 15 years. She dismantled the electoral system and institutional structures."

However, Majumder also noted the opportunity created by the mass uprising of students and citizens on 5 August, which led to Hasina's escape. "We now have a rare opportunity to rebuild the state structure. The National Consensus Commission is working towards this goal and aims to create a 'Citizen Charter' to guide the process," he concluded.