177,818,000 people
Source: Tyranny Tracker
HRF classifies Bangladesh as ruled by a hybrid authoritarian regime.
Bangladesh has experienced recurring political turbulence since its independence in 1971. Following the assassination of founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the country endured years of direct military rule and military-backed civilian governance before gradually transitioning to parliamentary democracy in the 1990s. In recent decades, local politics has been dominated by intense rivalry between the Awami League party, led by Sheikh Hasina, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), whose longtime chairperson was the late former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Hasina won national elections in 2009 by a landslide and subsequently ruled Bangladesh for another 15 continuous years. Her regime was marked by the rapid deterioration of the civic space and repeated crackdowns on political opposition. These tensions culminated in August 2024 with Hasina’s resignation and self-exile after weeks of mass protests and civil unrest that were met with deadly force. In the aftermath, an interim administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed to restore stability and oversee preparations for new elections. The Hasina era was characterized by large-scale, state-led crackdowns that may have amounted to crimes against humanity. While these abuses have declined since August 2024, the interim administration has pursued an aggressive accountability initiative against the Awami League and affiliated individuals. The post-transition environment is also marred by clashes between rival party supporters and episodes of mob violence. Human rights monitors have documented hundreds of deaths linked to political violence following the transition, particularly in the lead-up to planned elections in February 2026, capturing the volatile and polarized landscape in Bangladesh that hinders a full democratic opening.
The interim administration has introduced reforms that improve electoral competition, which was largely absent under the Hasina regime. Under Sheikh Hasina, elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024 were marred by opposition boycotts, mass arrests of BNP members, the 2013 banning of the political party Jamaat-e-Islami, the 2011 abolition of the caretaker government system, and an Election Commission widely accused of bias. The Awami League routinely won over 60% of the vote and around 80% of seats, often unopposed. Since August 2024, the interim administration has established an Electoral Reform Commission and endorsed key electoral reform pledges in the historic July Charter. However, many key reforms require approval by the next parliament, and the ban on the Awami League – alongside Sheikh Hasina’s in absentia conviction – has raised new concerns about exclusion and political reprisal.
The interim administration has introduced reforms that help restore the ability of independent media, political leaders, civil society leaders, organizations, and members of the general public to dissent. Compared with the Hasina era – when thousands of opposition figures were jailed, media outlets shuttered, internet shutdowns imposed, and critics were criminalized, intimidated, disappeared, and killed – the interim administration has released political prisoners, repealed draconian laws, and pledged far-reaching reforms. However, the interim administration has also used some repressive practices seen under its predecessors, including relying on anti-terrorism and criminal code provisions against those sympathetic to the previous regime, leaving the civic space more open than before but still precarious.
Despite significant reforms, institutions still frequently and unfairly side with the interim administration when reviewing challenges to its policies or interests. The government has introduced major judicial and constitutional reforms, including a new Supreme Judicial Appointments Council, a separate and unprecedented Supreme Court Secretariat, the expansion of the International Crimes Tribunal’s (ICT) jurisdiction, and proposals to curb executive appointment powers. Implementation, however, remains partial, and politicization concerns persist. Courts have restored the caretaker government system and paved the path for opposition parties to return to mainstream politics, but have also upheld harsh measures against Awami League figures and permitted ongoing prosecutions of journalists. Broader reforms to the legislative and executive branches are tied to a planned 2026 referendum, leaving the sustainability of institutional accountability uncertain.
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