With international support, the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus should seek “quick wins” to keep public opinion on its side, the International Crisis Group said in its report released today (November 15 ).

Holding elections without reforms to put in place checks and balances on the future government could allow another autocratic regime to emerge, while a military takeover would be an even bigger setback, he said .

Early elections would likely bring the BNP to power with few restrictions on its power; Given its record, many suspect it would prove little better than the AL, Crisis Group observed.

If political and economic conditions were to deteriorate significantly, the military could intervene, ushering in a period of military rule, the report says.

“Quick wins” could include measures to combat petty corruption in public services, improve electricity supplies and reduce high prices.

International actors should work with the caretaker government to support its ambitious goals and help usher Bangladeshi politics into a new era, according to the report titled “A New Era in Bangladesh? The first hundred days of reform.

Thomas Kean, Crisis Group’s senior consultant for Myanmar and Bangladesh, said that to maintain the broad public support it enjoys, the interim government must also improve its handling of day-to-day governance.

“If Yunus and his team fail, the country could return to elected governments with few checks on power, or even enter a period of military rule,” he said, commenting on the report.

But if they can lead the reforms, Bangladeshis could benefit for decades, Kean said.

He mentioned that one hundred days after Professor Yunus was sworn in as the head of the new interim government of Bangladesh, the country is at a crucial juncture.

The caretaker government has a unique opportunity to improve governance and put in place controls that would prevent the emergence of another autocratic regime, Kean said.

“But the scale of the task is monumental,” he said, adding that the caretaker government will notably need to maintain a certain degree of political consensus with key political players, including student leaders, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Islamist forces, the army. , and civil society.

The interim government enjoys strong public support for reform as well as support from key stakeholders, including student leaders and the military, the International Crisis Group observed.

The interim government has identified its priorities, defined a process and set an initial timetable.

Sheikh Hasina’s flight from Bangladesh on August 5 created a unique opportunity for political renewal that can move the country out of the bitter divisions and violence that characterized much of the past five decades, the report said.

The interim government will need to achieve political consensus while maintaining economic stability and delivering consistent results to ensure Bangladeshi public opinion remains firmly behind it, Crisis Group said.

The alternatives would not be attractive to either Bangladesh or its partners, he observed.

What’s new?

Three months after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown in an uprising, the reform agenda of Bangladesh’s caretaker government is becoming clearer – and the pitfalls that lie in its way.

Led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the administration is expected to remain in office for another year or more.

Why is this important?

After fifteen years of Hasina’s rule, Bangladesh has a unique opportunity to improve governance and put in place controls that would prevent the emergence of another autocratic regime.

“If the interim government fails, the country could return to the status quo ante or even enter a period of military rule.”

What should be done?

The caretaker government should strive to produce rapid results to maintain public support for more ambitious reforms.

He should avoid staying in power for too long and reach consensus on new measures between political parties, the report said.

External actors should offer assistance; India should work to improve its image among the people of Bangladesh, he said.

After fifteen years in office, Sheikh Hasina’s administration had become “deeply unpopular”.

To retain power, the report said, his government “systematically undermined” the independence of Bangladesh’s institutions, particularly the police, judiciary and bureaucracy.

Although it is unclear how successful Yunus’s team will be in achieving its goal, the alternatives appear unappealing, the report said.

Foreign governments and multilateral institutions should provide the interim government with technical and financial assistance, particularly in security, judicial, electoral and economic reform.

Foreign governments should also help recover the proceeds of corruption and state-sanctioned theft found in banks and real estate markets outside Bangladesh.

India, which “strongly supported” Hasina throughout her reign, should take steps to repair the damage to her image, the report said.

Support at home and abroad will be crucial to ensure that Bangladesh does not lose this chance for political and economic change that much of its population yearns for, the report said.