Distinguished Professor of Illinois State University and Constitution Reform Commission Chair Dr. Ali Riaz has asserted that the fundamental cause of Bangladesh's ongoing governance crisis stems from the systematic politicization of state machinery since 1991, which transformed into a single-party apparatus after 2009.
Speaking on Sunday morning (October 4, 2026) at 'The Author's Table' session during the second day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, Professor Riaz characterized the civil bureaucracy as inherently anti-reform. Reflecting on his direct experience over fifteen months of governance work, he observed a strong unwillingness among bureaucratic factions to embrace systemic changes despite the massive public uprising in July 2024. He emphasized that the existing constitutional framework concentrates disproportionate executive authority in the hands of the Prime Minister, eroding the independence of key institutions like the judiciary and the Election Commission. While remaining optimistic about breaking historical cycles of authoritarianism through broad political willingness and constitutional overhaul, Dr. Riaz warned that failing to reform the rules of governance will inevitably lead to repeated political crises.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
