Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain has said Bangladesh's youth, with their spirit and determination, will resist any return to pre-2024 or pre-1991 political landscape, emphasising the significance of institutional reform and strengthening democracy.
He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the "Bengal Delta Conference 2025", held at the Hotel InterContinental in the capital on Friday.
The adviser called for an urgent, research-driven overhaul of national institutions to meet the aspirations of this generation. "In 1991, when we were young, we used to think that all problems lay in the electoral system, but we must move beyond that belief."
In his opening remarks, Mushtaq Khan, professor of Economics at SOAS University of London, said that while the entire nation had united during the July mass uprising, many people are now disillusioned due to deteriorating law-and-order, economic instability, and political stagnation.
He further mentioned that the Hasina-era economic model was overly centralised, lacked sustainable foundations, and failed to create an industrial base despite large-scale infrastructure development.
"There was massive infrastructure development, but no industrial base. Many policy analysts foresaw this collapse. The disappointment fuelled the uprising, and now we need sustainable, job-creating economic policies. The people will not accept going back to the corruption of the 1990s. Accountability is essential."
Former Malaysian Education Minister and current IAIS President Maszlee bin Malik highlighted Bangladesh's resilience, describing it as a country that has battled cyclones and famines yet emerged as an economic force.
However, he emphasised the urgent need for democratic rebuilding and decentralisation of power, especially warning of overreliance on the garments sector.
He also stressed the need for a Bengal Delta Security Initiative to counter regional threats such as piracy, alongside proposals for a green fund to support climate resilience.
Dipak Gyawali, former minister of Water Resources in Nepal, emphasised that democracy and good governance are critical for stability in the Delta region, pointing out that accountability and responsibility are central to achieving this.
Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan noted the Delta's importance in shaping regional research and critical thinking.
Criticising the lack of institutional capacity, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said, "We have skills, creativity, and a strong spirit – but we've failed to build institutions. Our parliament is a failed institution. Politics has become politicking. We love freedom, but we lack meaningful debate, and that is one of our biggest challenges."
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