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Politicians and civil society members on Saturday said that fascism could return if the next elections were held under the existing political framework without comprehensive state reforms.

They expressed their concern over the slow progress of the state reform initiatives being undertaken by the interim government.

They made the remarks during a citizens’ dialogue on the country’s democratic transition, organised by the  Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik at the Krishibid Institute of Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Shujan, a citizens’ platform for good governance, presented a draft charter containing 21 proposals aimed at ensuring state reforms and free, fair elections.

The Key recommendations include the introduction of a bicameral parliament, balancing power between the president and the prime minister, forming a National Constitutional Council, reinstating the caretaker government system, decentralising the judiciary, and introducing a provision to recall lawmakers.

The Shujan acting president, Retired justice MA Matin, stressed that the charter should be formulated based on political consensus and people’s desire.

‘A provision must be made so that any law that contradicts the charter cannot be passed,’ he said.

Monir Haider, a special assistant to the chief adviser, admitted the slow progress over the state reform but said, ‘Even if revolutionary changes do not occur, implementing the agreed points will bring meaningful reforms to the state system.’

Shujan secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said, ‘Sheikh Hasina may have left, but she has left behind an authoritarian system. If we do not reform this system, authoritarian rule will persist and fascism will return.’

He said that Shujan’s proposed National Charter would be presented to the National Consensus Commission to help in the state reform.

‘The National Consensus Commission divided the reforms into two parts. Some reforms will be done by issuing ordinances, and some will need constitutional amendments,’ Badiul, also a member of the NCC, said.

NCC is trying to build consensus with political parties on basic reform issues to draft the July Charter,’ he said, and added that political parties had already agreed on 10 basic reform issues.

Local Government Reform Commission chief Professor Tofail Ahmed expressed his frustration over the lack of discussions on their unified draft law for local government.

‘If the government wants, it can issue ordinances within six months and form a local government commission,’ he said, urging immediate elections for local bodies.

Jasmin Tuli, who was a member of the Election Reform Commission, said, ‘In the past 53 years, no effort was made to build national consensus. Now we are seeing an attempt. I hope that necessary reforms will open the path for fair elections.’

She said, ‘Voters are often misled in different ways. In the coming elections, AI-based campaigns may confuse voters with false information. To hold fair elections, the right people must be appointed to the Election Commission.’

Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Shama Obaid dismissed the narratives that suggest BNP’s disinterest in reforms and said that many of BNP’s 31 points align with Shujan’s proposals.

‘We must first reform democratic institutions, the judiciary, and the Anti-Corruption Commission,’ she said, stressing the need for political will to implement the reform proposals.

Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque termed the electoral system a ‘business entity’ and said that the alliance of mafia and evil forces would resurface if there was no systemic change.

National Citizen Party leader Tajnuba Jabin expressed her disappointment over the failure to ensure direct elections for women representatives, and said, ‘The NCP does not fear elections. It fears elections under the old system without any reforms. We want a democratic transformation of the state.’

Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur expressed his dissatisfaction with the interim government’s performance and called it ‘the weakest government in the past 53 years.’