🗳️ Bangladesh’s Democratic Reset: A Case Study for UPSC GS-II & Essay

 🗳️ Bangladesh’s Democratic Reset: A Case Study for UPSC GS-II & Essay

✍️ By Suryavanshi IAS | Where News Becomes Notes

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🔔 What’s Happening?

In a post-crisis transition, Bangladesh’s interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has announced that the next general elections in April 2026 will be the most peaceful and credible in its history.

👉 This comes after the 2024 youth-led uprising that overthrew the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.

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🧭 UPSC Angle: Why It Matters

This event touches on core UPSC themes:

GS Paper	Topic
GS-II	Democratic institutions, Electoral reforms, Role of civil society, India’s neighborhood policy
GS-IV	Ethics in governance, Crisis of legitimacy, Moral leadership
Essay	Political transitions, democracy, youth movements, South Asia’s governance model

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🧪 UPSC PRELIMS – SAMPLE & PAST-INSPIRED QUESTIONS

🟡 Inspired MCQ (2025 Pattern):

Q. Consider the following statements with reference to Bangladesh’s 2026 elections:

1. The elections are being conducted under a caretaker government.
2. A judicial panel is investigating allegations of electoral fraud in past elections.
3. The UN has declared Bangladesh’s election process among the top three in transparency.

Which of the above are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 2 and 3 only

(C) 1 and 3 only

(D) 1, 2, and 3

✅ Answer: (A)

🟢 Past Similar UPSC Prelims Question:

Q. Which one of the following is not a feature of a free and fair election in a democracy?

(2017, Set D)

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📝 UPSC MAINS CONNECTION – PAST YEAR QUESTIONS

✅ GS Paper II (2022):

"Discuss the essential conditions for the exercise of free and fair elections in a democracy."

✅ GS Paper II (2018):

"Whether the increasing influence of regional parties has strengthened or weakened Indian democracy—comment."

⮕ You can relate this to Awami League's prolonged dominance and its downfall due to popular dissent.

✅ Essay Paper (2020):

“Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy.” – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

⮕ This can be enriched using the student-led mass movement in Bangladesh.

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🧾 Key Facts for Mains Answers & Notes:

📍Timeline Summary:

• July 2024: Youth-led protest begins
• August 5, 2024: Sheikh Hasina steps down
• January 2025: Muhammad Yunus leads interim government
• June 28, 2025: Press secretary declares peaceful polls
• April 2026: General elections scheduled

📘 Committee Formed:

A 5-member judicial panel headed by Justice Shamim Hasnain will:

• Investigate 2014, 2018, 2024 election fraud
• Submit report by September 30, 2025
• Recommend future safeguards

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🧠 Suryavanshi IAS Mains Model Paragraph

“Bangladesh’s ongoing electoral transition, following a peaceful mass uprising, is a powerful modern-day example of civil society’s role in restoring democracy. The interim government’s efforts to ensure credibility through an independent electoral panel and transparent election planning offer a case study in state accountability and democratic renewal. For India, this event holds diplomatic sensitivity, balancing non-interference with regional leadership.”

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🧭 India's Strategic Concerns – UPSC IR Lens

• Awami League’s historical closeness with India
• Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina’s exile in India raises regional diplomacy challenges
• India’s Neighbourhood First policy will require careful neutrality
• Potential Chinese re-entry via Bangladesh’s infrastructure sector post-crisis

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🗨️ Suryavanshi IAS Final Quote for Essay / Ethics:

“The legitimacy of a government is not built in ballots alone, but in the belief of its people.”