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Zakir Hossain / Dhaka

The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned that Bangladesh’s political challenges will escalate this year as parties and key stakeholders push for reforms and electoral advantages, marking the end of the interim government’s “honeymoon period.”

“Free, fair, and peaceful polls will be paramount for restoring the Bangladeshi people’s faith in electoral politics,” said Thomas Kean, Crisis Group’s Senior Consultant on Myanmar and Bangladesh, commenting on the EU Watchlist 2025.

The interim government, under Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, has announced fresh elections between December 2025 and June 2026 following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s long-running administration. The Watch List 2025 notes that Bangladesh now has a rare opportunity to reshape its political system and make it more inclusive and accountable, with reform commissions already submitting proposals. However, the government is under pressure over rising prices—blamed on Hasina’s “mismanagement”—and strained relations with India, while there is little hope of Rohingya repatriation amid Myanmar’s ongoing conflict.

The ICG suggests the EU should assist Bangladesh in recovering illegally acquired assets linked to the Hasina regime, many of which are in Europe. It also urges the EU to encourage India to rethink its support for the Awami League.

On the Rohingya crisis, the ICG calls for sustained EU humanitarian aid, given declining global funding and the likelihood of US budget cuts under a potential Trump administration. It urges EU states to accept more Rohingya refugees and support Bangladesh’s planned high-level Rohingya conference in 2025. The group also recommends that the EU work with Dhaka to promote refugee self-reliance and engage with the Arakan Army, a key player in any future repatriation efforts.

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