Dastagir Jahangir, Editor, The Voice
Over the past 16 years, Bangladesh has experienced a political paradox. On one hand, the Awami League (AL) has ruled continuously since 2009, raising concerns about democratic backsliding and weakened political competition. On the other hand, economists, development experts, and global institutions widely agree that this era has brought historic socioeconomic progress.
The 2008 election was widely regarded as free and competitive, producing a landslide AL victory. However, the 2014 election took place without the participation of the main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted the polls over the abolition of the caretaker government system. The boycott left over half of the parliamentary seats uncontested, effectively handing AL a sweeping win.
In the 2018 election, BNP and other opposition parties chose to participate, though they raised serious complaints about vote irregularities and political repression. While opposition parties were legally permitted to run in both the 2014 and 2018 elections, the boycotts and political withdrawals weakened their ability to pressure the ruling party to respect democratic norms.
Political analysts increasingly argue that boycotting elections has not strengthened Bangladesh’s democracy; instead, it has ceded political space and allowed the ruling party to consolidate power further. By participating—even under unfair conditions—opposition parties can better assert their role, challenge undemocratic practices, and amplify pressure both domestically and internationally for freer and fairer political competition.
Meanwhile, it’s undeniable that under AL, Bangladesh has achieved:
A tripling of GDP over a decade.
Dramatic reductions in poverty and improvements in literacy, maternal health, and life expectancy.
Global recognition as a fast-growing, export-driven economy and a “development success story” by institutions like the World Bank and UNDP.
However, sustained development alone cannot replace the foundations of political pluralism, accountability, and fair electoral processes. As Bangladesh looks to its future, experts across political science and development fields stress that robust, engaged opposition participation—not withdrawal—is crucial for ensuring that development gains go hand in hand with stronger democratic norms.
The next chapter for Bangladesh will depend not just on the policies of the ruling party, but on whether all political forces commit to contesting power through the electoral system and pushing for the restoration of full democratic standards.
Dastagir Jahangir, Editor, The Voice
