Abstract
The democratization process in Bangladesh began in 1991, after two decades of civilian and military authoritarian rule. Various features of an electoral democracy became the hallmarks at the auspicious beginning. However, within the following two decades, the quality of democracy deteriorated, and the country became an electoral authoritarianism, a variant of the hybrid regime. A manipulated general election in 2014, boycotted by all parties, paved the way for a reversal of democracy. This chapter discusses the political developments between 1991 and 2018, the backsliding of democracy, and the progressive attenuation of inclusive governance as a background to the 2018 election.
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Notes
- 1.
The caretaker system was first challenged in 1996 (Writ Petition No. 1729 of 1996) in the High Court Division. The High Court rejected the petition. In January 2000, a Supreme Court lawyer challenged the 13th amendment again in the High Court in a writ petition saying the change distorts the principle that the republic will be governed by an elected government. The High Court rejected the petition in 2004 (57 DLR 171). However, after the petitioner died, another Supreme Court lawyer filed an appeal in June 2005 against the High Court ruling in the Supreme Court. In 2011, the Supreme Court heard the appeal beginning March 1. For 10 days, opinions and arguments from eight amici curiae and the counsels for both sides of the appeal were heard before the verdict was reached.
- 2.
The JI opposed the founding of Bangladesh during the war of independence in 1971. Some of its leaders have been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal established by the BAL in 2010, and five leaders have been executed between 2013 and 2015. The party has been deregistered by the Election Commission in 2013.
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Riaz, A. (2019). Bangladesh: From an Electoral Democracy to a Hybrid Regime (1991–2018). In: Voting in a Hybrid Regime. Politics of South Asia. Palgrave Pivot, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7956-7_3
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