Is Bangladesh backtracking on post-Hasina reforms?

Two years after the student-led uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's 16-year rule, Bangladesh appears to be regressing politically. The current government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has not fulfilled promises made during the uprising. Critics argue that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which won a majority in the February 2026 election, has not implemented key reform commitments.

Professor Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, a Dhaka University scholar, expressed disappointment that discrimination has not been eliminated and that an inclusive society remains elusive. The protest movement began over a controversial government job quota system in 2018, leading to renewed demonstrations in 2024. In August 2024, over 1,000 people were killed during the unrest, forcing Hasina to flee to India.

The interim government, backed by the military and key uprising figures, signed a reform roadmap called the "July Charter." However, the BNP, which now rules, has failed to implement several charter proposals within the stipulated timeframe. The BNP argues for proper legislative procedures in Parliament for constitutional changes, while the opposition alleges the ruling party is betraying reform promises.

Allegations of enforced disappearances, including those linked to Islamist parties, have raised concerns about human rights. The interim government signed the UN Convention against Enforced Disappearances but the BNP-led government introduced a weaker draft bill instead. Human Rights Watch warned that allowing the police to investigate such cases would not ensure accountability.

The Awami League and its organizations remain banned, and Hasina has been sentenced to death by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal.