Bangladesh still grappling with the aftermath of last year's uprising that ousted its leader

 DHAKA, July 15 — A year after a student-led uprising ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ended her 15-year rule, Bangladesh finds itself stuck in political chaos, deepening religious divides, and worsening law and order. Hasina fled to India following the unrest, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was appointed to lead a temporary government with promises of reform and a return to democracy.

Yunus pledged to hold fair elections, fix the electoral system, and calm the streets after weeks of deadly protests that began on July 15, 2024. But one year on, his government is facing major hurdles and growing criticism.

A Divided Political Landscape

The student protesters formed a new political party aimed at breaking the dominance of the two major political groups: Hasina’s Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). However, critics say this new party is too close to Yunus’s administration and is using state institutions for political gain.

At the same time, Jamaat-e-Islami — the country’s largest Islamist party, banned under Hasina — has re-entered politics and aligned with the student-led party. With the Awami League officially banned and Hasina facing trial for crimes against humanity, Jamaat is trying to fill the political void. Its exact support base remains unclear.

BNP and Jamaat are now in a power struggle — competing for influence in government, courts, and even university campuses. They also disagree on when the next election should be held. Yunus wants elections in April 2026, but worsening security and lack of political agreement have caused confusion. Bangladesh's military chief wants elections sooner, in December 2025 — a plan Yunus opposes.

“Post-revolution honeymoons rarely last, and Bangladesh is no exception,” says Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst based in Washington. “Yunus’s government came in with high expectations, but it's difficult to meet them without a public mandate.”

Delayed Elections and Reform Plans

Yunus says reforms must come before elections — including changes to the constitution, judiciary, police, and the structure of parliament. His proposals include setting term limits for prime ministers, creating a two-tier parliament, and appointing a chief justice.

While BNP and Jamaat have agreed to some reforms with conditions, others remain disputed. Jamaat wants more time for reforms, while BNP wants quicker elections. The student-led party seems more in line with Jamaat’s approach.

Kugelman notes, “The idea of reform was supposed to bring people together, but now it’s causing more division — between those who want more time and those who want to move on to elections.”

Human Rights Concerns and Rise of Islamists

Yunus’s administration is also under fire for failing to protect minority groups, especially Hindus. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported hundreds of attacks against minorities in the past year.

The government also faces accusations of mass arrests of Awami League supporters. Yunus denies the claims, though rights groups say progress on justice and security reforms has been slow.

Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch says while enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have declined since Hasina’s rule, real reforms are still lacking.

Meanwhile, hardline Islamist groups are gaining ground. Some are pushing for Sharia law and rollbacks on women’s rights, and are now trying to form alliances with larger parties like BNP and Jamaat. Although Islamist parties have traditionally struggled in elections, their growing presence is likely to make politics even more unstable.

Shifting Foreign Ties

Under Hasina, Bangladesh was a close ally of India. But with her ouster, the Yunus government has shifted toward China. Yunus made his first state visit to Beijing in March and secured financial support.

India, angered by Hasina’s removal, has refused to extradite her and has even stopped issuing visas to Bangladeshi citizens.

At the same time, Yunus enjoys support from Western countries and the United Nations. Still, relations with the U.S. hit a bump in January when the Trump administration cut off USAID funding — a blow for Bangladesh during a critical rebuilding phase.

“Bangladesh now has to adjust to a U.S. government that looks at everything through a business-first lens,” Kugelman said.

Looking Ahead

Bangladesh is at a crossroads. A year after the fall of a powerful leader, the country is still waiting for meaningful reform, stability, and clarity on the future of its democracy. Whether Yunus can guide the nation forward — or whether political infighting, rising extremism, and foreign tensions derail the effort — remains to be seen.