When the news rushed around the world on 5 August 2024 that Sheikh Hasina stepped down as prime minister amid massive protests in Dhaka, the global community took it as a surprise. Eventually, she failed to perceive a clear sign of her imminent downfall. This article addresses the gap in understanding how Bangladesh’s democratic institutions navigate the gulf between regime changes and resilient political institutions that form a stable democracy. This examines institutional frameworks and political dynamics, exploring the challenges to democracy during regime transitions. This article analyses political transitions and institutional structures in Bangladesh using a qualitative methodology, using secondary data from literature, reports and media sources to examine the role of popular uprisings and the strength of democratic institutions. Bangladesh is experiencing a crucial democratic transition, and weak institutions pose a risk of instability and the influence of non-state actors. A caretaker government is seen as a way to revive political competition, but rising social and religious tensions threaten stability. Sustaining democracy depends on strengthening institutions and governance, ensuring resilience against unrest, and fostering a credible system to restore public confidence. This article concludes that popular uprisings can trigger regime changes, but the survival of democracy depends on robust and resilient democratic institutions.
Surendra Kumar Yadawa (Sat,) studied this question.
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