What does the national election mean for the future of Bangladesh?

这次全国大选对孟加拉国的未来意味着什么?

The Inquiry

2026-02-03

23 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

Bangladesh will hold a national election in February, after years of political turmoil and the ousting of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina. Her rule of more than a decade delivered strong economic growth but was also accompanied by tighter political control and repeated confrontations with protesters. Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has been banned. This has brought renewed focus on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s leader Tarique Rahman, who is the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, as well as several emerging challengers. Following years of unrest, the vote is seen as a test of whether Bangladesh can move towards political stability. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: What does the national election mean for the future of Bangladesh? Contributors Shaheen Mamun, Executive Director of the Jargoron Foundation, London, UK Zia Chowdhury, journalist, Dhaka, Bangladesh Rounaq Jahan, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka, Bangladesh Constantino Xavier, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, New Delhi, India Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical Producer: Cameron Ward (Photo: A woman casting her ballot during the 2024 national election in Bangladesh. Credit: Ahmed Salahuddin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

  • This Back to School season, join Lenovo's online education store for free at Lenovo.com,

  • where students unlock exclusive pricing, 10 times Lenovo rewards points,

  • and access to a thriving creator community.

  • Lenovo.com.

  • Let creatives create.

  • And I've been speaking to young women from villages and small towns in India about how sport is helping them break free from the practice of child marriages and to fight against discrimination.

  • Listen now by searching for the documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

  • Welcome to the inquiry from the BBC World Service with me, Tanya Beckett.

  • One question, four expert witnesses and an answer.

  • On February the 12th, 2026,

  • Bangladesh plans to hold fully democratic elections for the first time since 2008.

  • Bordered on the north, west and east by India,

  • Bangladesh is home to the fourth largest Muslim population in the world.

  • Its economy is the second largest in South Asia.

  • Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has been ruled by two dynasties,

  • and leadership of the country has shifted back and forth between their respective political parties.

  • From 2009, power has been in the hands of a woman from just one of these families, Sheikh Asena.

  • As the daughter of the first president of Bangladesh,

  • her image is deeply intertwined with the founding of the nation.