Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman (center) raises his hand after voting in the general election in Dhaka on February 12 (©AP via Kyodo)
Recently, Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was appointed prime minister and formed a new government. His BNP had emerged as the largest political party in Bangladesh as a result of the general election held in February.
In 2024, the authoritarian regime led by Sheikh Hasina collapsed amid anti-government student protests. She was succeeded by an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner and economist Muhammad Yunus. His main task has been to prepare for new elections.
However, the Awami League (AL), which has a long-standing rivalry with the BNP and was the ruling party under the previous Hasina administration, was banned from participation in the election. The reason given was because of the violent suppression of demonstrations by the previous administration, which resulted in a high number of casualties.
Some AL supporters have questioned why they were excluded from participating in the election. Rahman must work to mend these domestic divisions and achieve national reconciliation.
Cycle of Retribution Must End
Bangladesh broke away from Pakistan in 1971 and became an independent nation. After a period of military rule, it became a democracy in 1991. Since then, the AL and BNP have repeatedly alternated in power, with the party in power sometimes cracking down on the opposition.
After Hasina became prime minister for the second time in 2009, concerns grew that Bangladesh was backsliding in terms of democracy. Her government had sidelined political opponents and increased censorship of speech.
The cycles of political retribution need to cease. The caretaker government put together a reform plan aimed at decentralizing power, including term limits for the prime minister. His government reform plan also includes a bicameral system.
These reforms were approved in a referendum held at the same time as the general election. To restore democracy, the Rahman administration must steadily implement this program.
Hasina's flight to India has deepened the rift between Bangladesh and India. Now, Bangladesh is seeking her extradition from India.
Looking Out for an Important Partner
In another warning sign, China is attempting to expand its influence in Bangladesh.
The government signed an agreement for a Chinese state-owned company to build a drone factory in Bangladesh. That in turn has alarmed the US, which reportedly has presented Bangladesh with alternatives to the Chinese-made system.
Bangladesh occupies a strategic location where Southeast Asia and South Asia meet. Moreover, it is an important partner for Japan in the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.
In February, the two countries signed an Economic Partnership Agreement, the first of its kind for the South Asian nation.
Bangladesh has grown rapidly, thanks to its garment industry that takes advantage of cheap labor. This fall, 2026, it will also graduate from the United Nations' "least developed countries" list.
Free markets and democracy are the foundations required for continued economic development. The Takaichi administration needs to actively support the stabilization of democracy and the establishment of the rule of law in Bangladesh.
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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
