Democratic structures under strain

 

In 1971, Bangladesh separated from Pakistan. Following a period of political unrest marked by autocratic regimes and a number of coups, the country managed the transition back to a parliamentary democracy in 1991. The country’s “first-past-the-post” voting system has led to the emergence of two large party groupings: the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The political climate in Bangladesh is marked by the confrontational style of politics of these two parties, which have so far shown no willingness to reach political compromises.