Bangladesh falling behind due to lack of democratic progress: Amir Khasru

BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has warned that Bangladesh is gradually slipping backward due to the absence of a democratic system, even a year after the popular uprising.

Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Post July Political Thoughts: Which Direction Bangladesh is Walking’ in Gulshan on Wednesday (September 3), Khasru said the country should have returned to democracy through elections long ago. The delay, he argued, is fueling political and economic instability.

Khasru highlighted that countries failing to establish democracy after popular uprisings often face economic collapse, social unrest, and in some cases, civil war.

He said Bangladesh is witnessing a growing disconnect between the interim government and citizens, weakening law and order, security, and investor confidence. Factories are hesitant to expand, and foreign investors are waiting for the elections before committing new investments.

The BNP leader urged political parties to recognize the shift in public mindset following the mass uprising, stressing that the credit for the movement belongs to the people, not individual leaders.

He also called for prioritizing the country’s future over personal or party gains and drew parallels to post-1971 Liberation War Bangladesh, where freedom fighters returned to normal life to rebuild the nation.

Khasru further emphasized that political leaders must focus on constructive governance and democracy rather than claiming credit for past movements, warning that failing to do so would jeopardize both party and national prospects.