TBD Town Hall VI calls for institutional reforms to sustain peace, democracy in Bangladesh

Comprehensive institutional reforms are essential to ensure lasting peace, democratic governance and political accountability in Bangladesh, speakers said at a roundtable in Dhaka.

They called for stronger democratic institutions, reforms to the police and judiciary, merit-based recruitment in public bodies, and greater transparency and accountability across the state apparatus.

The Bangladesh Dialogue organised the sixth edition of its town hall series, titled "Peace, Democracy and the Future of Reform in Bangladesh," at the Azimur Rahman Conference Hall of The Daily Star Centre.

The discussion brought together policymakers, journalists, diplomats, economists, academics, researchers, business representatives, development practitioners and civil society members to examine priorities for Bangladesh's democratic transition and future reform agenda.

Participants said rebuilding public trust in state institutions should be a central objective of the reform process. They also stressed the need to improve professional and ethical standards within law enforcement agencies and establish stronger mechanisms to hold public institutions accountable.

Speakers called for a review of politically motivated cases and warned that reform initiatives should not be used as political instruments. They said reforms would be sustainable only when implemented transparently and supported by broad political and public consensus.

The discussion also focused on strengthening parliamentary oversight. Participants proposed institutional reforms and a code of conduct for members of parliament to improve legislative accountability and standards of political conduct.

Media freedom was identified as another critical component of democratic governance. Speakers underscored the need for a free, independent and responsible press, while also calling for greater accountability from social media platforms in protecting democratic discourse and limiting harmful manipulation.

They said citizens must be encouraged to uphold democratic values and participate meaningfully in public decision-making. Political and institutional reforms, they added, should be accompanied by efforts to promote civic responsibility, tolerance and respect for differing views.

Participants observed that a sustainable democratic transition would require continuous engagement among political parties, policymakers, civil society organisations, journalists and citizens.

They also called for a renewed social contract between the state and the people, with justice, accountability, inclusion and equal access to state institutions placed at the centre of the reform process.

Among those attending the discussion were Sara Hossain, senior advocate of the Supreme Court; journalists Kazi Jesin and David Bergman; economist Jyoti Rahman; Dr Shafi Md Mostofa of the University of Dhaka; Harry Thompson, first secretary at the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh; Nabila Idris, former member of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance; and Alauddin Mohammad of the National Citizen Party.

Other participants included Nazmul Ahasan, executive editor of Netra News; Golam Iftekhar Mahmud, editor and publisher of Dhaka Stream; Shafiqul Alam, editor-in-chief of Daily Waadaa; Kamal Ahmed, consulting editor of The Bangladesh Dialogue; Akbar Hossain, former press minister at the Bangladesh High Commission in London; and writer and researcher Anonno Afroz.

The roundtable was chaired by Aslam Beg Sayem, general secretary of The Bangladesh Dialogue, and moderated by Dr Mubashar Hasan, adjunct research fellow at the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative of Western Sydney University. Aaqib Md Shatil, special correspondent at Netra News, presented the concept for the discussion.

The organisers said the recommendations emerging from the roundtable would contribute to evidence-based policy discussions on democratic reform, inclusive governance and long-term political stability in Bangladesh.