Distinguished Professor Dr. Ali Riaz was quoted by international media outlets Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle on the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh.
Riaz was interviewed by the Al Jazeera English television’s Inside Story. In Bangladesh, opposition political parties, especially the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), are demanding the resignation of the current government headed by Sheikh Hasina and the establishment of a neutral caretaker government to oversee the election to be held in January 2024. Several rallies have been held in recent weeks.
Riaz insisted that the current crisis is not about the longstanding rivalry between the ruling Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) and the BNP, but about the crisis of governance. The government has engaged in silencing its critics through draconian laws, and extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances have spiked. The people of Bangladesh want to have an election where they can vote freely, which was not the case in elections held in 2014 and 2018.
Riaz was also quoted in a separate online news report of the Al Jazeera about the ongoing protests. Huge turnouts at all BNP rallies reflect not only support for the party but also “a serious discontent among common citizens about the state of economy and governance,” Riaz said. Referring to the current economic crisis Bangladesh is facing, Riaz said a large segment of Bangladeshis seems to be pushed to the brink. “They would like to have an environment where they can express their views, freely participate in demonstrations, cast their votes, but most importantly have a government which is accountable to them and offers economic opportunities to survive,” he said.
Riaz was also quoted in a report titled “Bangladesh ruling party dominance prompts democracy concerns,” from the Deutsche Welle, a German broadcaster. Riaz said, “Law enforcement agencies and civil administration siding with the Awami League didn’t happen suddenly during the 2018 election. It began after 2011, and the more the ruling party relied on them, the more they became invested in the survival of the regime. The line between party, government, and the state has become blurred for more than a decade. Partisan employment solidified it.”
