Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has observed the growing influence of religion-based politics following the student-led mass uprising on August 5, which ousted the previous authoritarian government.
This shift, the organisation warns, threatens gender, religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity, often through violence and coercion, contradicting the principles of anti-discrimination.
TIB shared these insights during a press conference titled “New Bangladesh: Observations on the First 100 Days After the Fall of the Authoritarian Government” held at its Dhanmondi office on Monday (November 18).
TIB Senior Research Fellow Shahzada M Akram presented the findings.
Key findings and concerns
The report highlighted several pressing issues:
Religious influence: Efforts to impose religion-based politics have been observed, undermining the vision of a non-communal and discrimination-free society in "New Bangladesh."
Restrictions and criticism: Decisions to ban specific political parties and discontinue the observance of eight national days have drawn criticism for potentially limiting democratic practices.
Recruitment bias: Instances of recruitment based on political affiliations persist, raising questions about meritocracy.
Judicial independence: While efforts to free the judiciary from corruption and political influence have begun, concerns remain about the process of exempting politically motivated cases and commuting sentences from the previous regime.
Discrepancies in justice: Trials of those involved in the July-August massacre have commenced, but discrepancies in casualty figures and the release of high-profile criminals have raised eyebrows.
TIB’s recommendations
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB, emphasised two key priorities for the interim government:
State reforms: Ensuring structural changes to promote equality, justice, and anti-discrimination.
Political and social consensus: Establishing a unified vision for a progressive and inclusive Bangladesh.
“It is our responsibility to assess where the government’s initiatives are succeeding and where gaps remain,” he said, underscoring TIB’s commitment to monitoring progress toward a transparent and equal society.