Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz made a presentation at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington, D.C., on December 6.

The panel was held in connection with the launching of the special Bangladesh issue of the South Asia Journal. The panel included Former U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh and Pakistan, William B Milam who is currently a public policy scholar at the Center, and Tamina Chowdhury, a scholar on governance in Bangladesh. The panel highlighted the importance of the upcoming election in Bangladesh, scheduled on 30 December.

Former Ambassador Milam, in his presentation, explained the serious failure of politics in Bangladesh. “Institutions are central to politics and institutions operates through politics. The recipe of instability in Bangladesh was that the institutions have been politicized to serve party interests, by the both parties, deteriorating the balance”, remarked Milam.

Riaz explained the deep political crisis in Bangladesh that rooted in malfunctions of multi-party system, judiciary and executive branch. He also reflected on the role of the international community and touched upon the recent growing influence of the conservative religious forces acquiesced by the government.

The panel was moderated by Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia, Asia Program of the Wilson Center.

South Asia Journal

The special issue of the journal, titled – Whither Bangladesh: Accomplishments, Opportunities, Challenges and the Future – is guest edited by Professors M Adil Khan and Habib Zafarullah. The journal includes an article of Riaz, titled, “Bangladesh: Mutation and Resilience of Hybrid Regime.”