We do not want to return to old political system: Foreign Adviser

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain has stated that Bangladesh does not want to revert to its old political system. Speaking at the inauguration of the Bengal Delta Conference 2025 at the Intercontinental Hotel, he urged the youth to remain politically aware.

“We do not want to return to the old political system,” Hossain said as the chief guest at the event held on Friday.

Former Malaysian Education Minister Prof. Mazli Bin Malik praised Bangladesh’s democratic progress, saying, “The people’s uprising has restored democratic culture, and the government’s engagement with various stakeholders in decision-making is a positive step.” He added that the reforms following the uprising would serve as a litmus test for progress worldwide.

Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of Indian news platform The Wire, highlighted Bangladesh’s evolving economic vision. “Bangladesh is rethinking its future economy,” he said, noting that the recent reduction of US tariffs on Bangladesh and India signals economic transformation.

Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, reflected on Bangladesh’s political history. “Despite repeated dreams since the Liberation War, institutional weaknesses have shattered our hopes. But the people’s uprising on July 24 has reignited our dreams and resistance to autocracy,” he said.

Former Nepalese Minister Dr. Deepak Gawali stressed the need for Bangladesh’s youth to take climate change seriously amid ongoing democratic movements.

The two-day Bengal Delta Conference is organized by the Dhaka Institute of Research and Analytics (DAIRA). Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Niyaz Ahmed Khan was also present.