Bangladesh excels at toppling dictatorships but falters on democracy, Mahfuz Anam says

Bangladesh has repeatedly succeeded in bringing down dictatorships but has failed to build sustainable democratic institutions, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said Sunday.

Speaking at the Bay of Bengal Conversation, organized by the Centre for Governance Studies, Anam said national unity often disappears once an authoritarian government is removed.

“We are so good at dismantling dictatorships, but the tragic reality is that we are so bad at building democratic institutions,” he said.

Anam said excessive politicization had weakened institutions ranging from the police and intelligence agencies to the Anti-Corruption Commission and professional organizations.

He said turning governance into an extension of a political party leads to corruption and cronyism.

Anam also said technology could help Bangladesh develop a more efficient bureaucracy and a more impartial police force.