MESSAGE from the EDITOR

For nearly a decade and a half, Bangladesh’s political trajectory has been defined by deep turbulence. The democratic compact forged in the 1990s—an understanding meant to insulate elections from partisan interference—gradually eroded and ultimately collapsed with the abolition of the caretaker government system. The decision to dismantle that framework was driven not by democratic prudence but by the ambition to consolidate power. What followed was a systematic shrinking of civic and political rights, built upon the foundational act of denying citizens a credible vote.

In this context, the recent judgment of a seven-member High Court bench, led by the Chief Justice, marks a historic constitutional correction. By reinstating the caretaker system, the Court has reopened a pathway toward restoring public trust in electoral governance. Under the revived framework, a non-partisan caretaker government will take office within fifteen days of the dissolution of Parliament, ensuring that the next electoral transition—whenever it comes—will not be overseen by a partisan administration. This provision will take effect upon the dissolution of future parliaments, signaling a forward-looking institutional reset.

The origins of the caretaker model lie in a moment of political crisis: the irregularities of the Magura by-election during the BNP era. In response, political parties collectively demanded that national elections be conducted under a neutral authority. The Thirteenth Amendment of 1996 formalized that demand, and the subsequent caretaker governments presided over three widely accepted elections. Even after the Awami League’s controversial victory in the 2008 polls, no major political actor proposed an alternative to the neutral caretaker formula.

That consensus fractured when then–Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, relying on loyalists in both the political and judicial spheres, abolished the caretaker structure through the Fifteenth Amendment. The High Court bench led by Justice ABM Khairul Haque declared the Thirteenth Amendment unconstitutional—an opening that the ruling party swiftly used to cement its prolonged control. The public backlash was severe; Justice Haque became a symbol of judicial capitulation. The current Chief Justice, Syed Refaat Ahmed, has now reversed the constitutional damage, restoring not only the caretaker system but also a measure of dignity to the judiciary’s role in safeguarding democratic norms.

Yet the success of this revived system will depend on two critical factors: the outcome of the referendum on constitutional reforms and the political goodwill of the incoming elected government. The freedoms regained through the monsoon revolution remain fragile. A narrow partisan approach, or an attempt to instrumentalize the caretaker system for political gain, could quickly unravel the progress achieved. If Bangladesh aspires to build a resilient, modern democracy, the caretaker system must be treated not as a tactical tool but as a cornerstone of electoral integrity. Used wisely, it can reopen the path toward a welfare-oriented state—one in which political power flows from the consent of the governed, not from the manipulation of democratic institutions.

The return of the caretaker system is more than a judicial verdict; it is an opportunity. Whether it becomes a turning point depends on whether Bangladesh’s political leadership can rise above factionalism and honor the aspirations of a nation that has repeatedly demanded the right to choose its future freely.

Editor-In-Chief

Perspective