STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The interim government in many cases became hostage to a “small and extremist group”, said CPD Distinguished Fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya yesterday.

“They spoke of new forces but, in the final analysis, in many cases ended up being held hostage to a small and extremist group. Because of this, they could not act properly. They could not ensure the safety of citizens. Now the question is, will they even be able to conduct the election impartially?”

He added that reform efforts in Bangladesh have repeatedly failed because they focused on surface-level institutional changes while ignoring the need to organise social and economic forces capable of defending democracy.

“Changing the superstructure alone cannot bring a new political settlement. Unless the forces that support democracy are organised and empowered, reforms will always be captured by vested interests and traditional politics.”

Referring to past initiatives, Debapriya said political actors often prioritised constitutional and administrative changes without addressing deeper socioeconomic

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