Economists, academics, and civil society representatives voiced frustration on Monday over the lack of visible reforms during more than a year of interim government despite repeated promises.
They argued that Bangladesh still lacked a credible road map for reforms or mechanisms for concrete implementation of reforms.
The concerns were raised at a citizens鈥� dialogue in Dhaka organised by the Citizen鈥檚 Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, which also marked the launch of a new initiative called Bangladesh Reform Watch.
The platform aims to track progress, mobilise citizens, and press for genuine change.
Centre for Policy Dialogue chair Professor Rehman Sobhan, who chaired the event, questioned the seriousness of the current reform agenda.
The government has spoken of dozens of reforms, but the public is not aware of their content or priority, said Professor Sobhan.
鈥榃hen you announce 84 reforms, no one takes it seriously,鈥� he said.
Real reform, he stressed, requires prioritisation, legislation, executive orders, ordinances, and budget allocations 鈥� not just announcements.
Sobhan also criticised the civil society for remaining confined to papers and seminars instead of applying sustained pressure for implementing reforms.
Monitoring reforms means not just listing them but tracking progress and mobilising citizens for accountability, he said.
CPD distinguished fellow and Citizens鈥� Platform convener Debapriya Bhattacharya described Bangladesh as 鈥榩assing through a storm鈥� that is reshaping both social and economic life.
He commented that the initial enthusiasm around reforms had already faded.
The government is holding discussions with politicians, but the process seems to have stalled midway.
鈥業s this due to lack of determination, lack of capacity, or hidden conflicts of interest?鈥� he asked.
The question now is whether the interim government has lost its way, he hastened to add.
Debapriya stressed that reforms demand both political will and citizens鈥� demand. Technical expertise exists, but without public pressure, implementation will not move forward, he said.
Local Government Reform Commission chair Tofail Ahmed expressed the disappointment that practically no reform had been implemented under the commission鈥檚 purview.
He suggested that the interim government could still restructure the system through the Cabinet Division鈥檚 Reform and Coordination Wing.
Economist Anu Muhammad offered a sharper critique, saying that despite frequent pledges no meaningful change had taken place.
He warned that reforms in key institutions like the police and the judiciary would not happen without citizen pressure and mechanisms of counter-surveillance.
He also highlighted the need to examine inequality across class, gender, ethnicity, and religion.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, member of the National Consensus Commission, underscored urgency of ensuring a free and fair election.
He said that the country鈥檚 main challenges were the power imbalance, lack of structural reforms, and the absence of accountability.
If citizens do not wake up, nothing will change, he cautioned. Citizen activism would determine whether reforms would advance, he further said.
Presenting the keynote, CPD senior research fellow Towfiqul Islam Khan noted that expectations for reforms had surged after the July mass uprising but progress over the past year had been limited.
He questioned if the interim government still had the capacity to deliver reforms in its remaining tenure and whether political parties would incorporate them into their manifestos.
Dhaka University professor Selim Raihan highlighted the high resistance from bureaucrats, business lobbies, and political elites to reforms. 鈥楾he real test is how far political parties are committed to reforms, despite these obstacles,鈥� he commented.
CPD distinguished fellow Mustafizur Rahman reminded that many past reform agendas had remained unimplemented. 鈥楾he question is whether this time will be different. We are cautiously optimistic, which is why all stakeholders must stay engaged,鈥� he said.
The event brought together political leaders, economists, business representatives, and members of the civil society 鈥� all calling for reform to move from rhetoric to reality before it was too late.
