What reforms are to be implemented before the election? asks Prof Rehman Sobhan

What else experts say:

• Ambiguous promises exist in reforms
• Anti-reform forces exist within government and society
• No prioritising in reform implementation
• Political parties' commitment to reforms questioned
• Lack of inclusion of women in reform discussions

While 82 reforms have been identified, neither their priorities nor the sequence of implementation has been made public, economist Professor Rehman Sobhan has said, casting doubt on the interim government's seriousness and clarity of reform initiatives.

Referring to a comment by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus that elections would be held in February, he asked: "Then what reforms exactly are to be implemented in six months [before the election]?"

Prof Sobhan, chairman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), cited some public debates that suggest the upcoming elections may be endangered if certain reforms are not completed, or if some political actors refuse to participate. "But what was not clear is: what are these reforms?" he said at the launch of Bangladesh Reform Watch, organised by the Citizen's Platform for SDGs in Dhaka's Gulshan today.

At the event, economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at CPD, echoed this sentiment, stating that the initial enthusiasm for reforms has "largely faded" and that questions are now arising about whether the interim government has "lost its way."

Economists Hossain Zillur Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman and Selim Raihan, political analyst Badiul Alam Majumdar, who also spoke at the event, highlighted that despite initial enthusiasm, the reform momentum following the interim government's assumption of power has faded, leaving citizens uncertain about the process.

'Declarations are not reforms'

Prof Sobhan stressed that reforms are not mere declarations or signatures on a document. "Actual reform has a process. It has to go through formulation and elaboration, become a detailed executive order, ordinance, or legislation. To simply make a declaration and gather support around it is not reform," he argued.

Hossain Zillur Rahman, a core group member of the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, questioned whether the Reform Watch platform would prioritise the interim government's demands or the needs of the people.

Pointing to an incident in Gazipur, where a police commissioner allegedly blocked traffic for an hour, Zillur noted that instead of immediate suspension, there was a discussion on whether to issue a show-cause notice. 

Mustafizur Rahman, another CPD distinguished fellow, recalled the 1991 experience, noting that most of the reform proposals introduced by the first interim government were not implemented. He stressed that after the recent July uprising, it is crucial to keep the reform dialogue and monitoring efforts ongoing with broad participation.

Prof Selim Raihan, executive director of the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Sanem),  said the wave of reforms completely died down after December 2024. He pointed out that anti-reform forces still exist within both the government and society.

He questioned whether the political parties that can reform themselves have truly changed or are genuinely committed. The failure to implement reforms has raised questions about the capacity of both the state and the government," Prof Selim Raihan said.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, a member of the National Consensus Commission, has said although the process of reform is underway, there is no certainty whether it will ever reach its destination.

He emphasised the urgent need for a few key reforms to ensure a fair, neutral, and acceptable election.

'Has the interim govt lost its way?'

Questions are now arising across the country about whether the interim government has lost its way, said Debapriya.

"The reform proposals that had emerged could not move forward any further. As a result, the question now on everyone's mind is whether the interim government has lost its way," he said.

"Bangladesh is going through a major storm. The biggest challenge in this storm is to uphold the spirit of anti-discrimination of July, to keep alive the aspiration for change. But the wave of reforms is no longer there," Debapriya said.

"We've observed that the reform committees formed so far have largely excluded marginalised groups, minorities, and disadvantaged populations," he said, adding, "We have learned during this time that while many can offer technical solutions for reforms, implementing them requires a demand for accountability from citizens."

Surveillance, inequality, and accountability

Economist Professor Anu Muhammad highlighted the need for a "counter-surveillance" process by civil society to hold the government accountable. 

He observed that while the word "reform" has been heard more in the last year than in the last 54, the reality is that "inequality has increased, unemployment has increased, poverty has increased, violence and mob terrorism have increased." 

Prof Anu Muhammad pointed to an instance where victims of mob violence were arrested by police under anti-terrorism laws, with courts sending them to prison, asking, "Where has the touch of reform been felt?" 

He called for a focus on how class, gender, and ethnic inequalities are changing and to make information on these issues accessible to the public.

Inclusion and women's representation

Rasheda K Chowdhury, an academic and a former adviser of the caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed, expressed concern over the lack of inclusion of women in crucial discussions. 

She stated that the way female representation in parliament is being determined is unacceptable. She noted that while women constitute 51% of the population, a recent meeting with the chief adviser included representatives from three parties, none of whom were women, except from the NCP. 

Rasheda also highlighted the issue of urban poverty, recalling a visit from domestic workers from a slum who complained that "the same old problem has come back."

In his inaugural remarks, CPD Additional Research Director Towfiqul Islam Khan said the Citizen's Platform will formulate a people-oriented manifesto by drawing directly from citizens' expectations. This platform aims to align political parties' manifestos with the aspirations of the people, he said.