OVERVIEW

The second issue of Data-Dive provides a comprehensive look at the state of democracy and freedom in Bangladesh. According to the Democracy Index 2023, Bangladesh is categorized as a “Hybrid Regime” with persistent issues in electoral fairness, political participation, and civil liberties. Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2024 report classifies Bangladesh as “Partly Free,” highlighting severe constraints on political rights and civil liberties. The Freedom on the Net 2024 report indicates deteriorating internet freedom due to government crackdowns and the misuse of the Digital Security Act. Lastly, the World Press Freedom Index 2023 ranks Bangladesh 165th out of 180, marking it as having a “Very Serious Situation” for press freedom, with significant government-imposed restrictions and threats against journalists.

Notably, ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on 5 August 2024, adding a new layer of uncertainty to the country’s political landscape.

Democracy Index

According to the EIU Democracy Index 2023, which provides a snapshot of the state of democracy in 165 independent states and two territories, 74 are democracies of some type, while 34 are classified as “hybrid regimes”, combining elements of formal democracy and authoritarianism, and 59 are classified as “authoritarian regimes”.

Democracy Index 2023, by regime type

	No. of countries/territories
Full democracies	24
Flawed democracies	50
Hybrid regimes	34
Authoritarian regimes	59

Where does Bangladesh stand?

According to the Democracy Index 2023, Bangladesh, with a score of 5.87 is ranked 75, and remained a ‘Hybrid Regime’. Notably, the index has been putting Bangladesh in the category since 2008. A hybrid regime is characterized by elections with significant irregularities, often making them neither free nor fair. Such regimes commonly feature government pressure on opposition, widespread corruption, weak rule of law, and limited civil society. Journalists face harassment, and the judiciary lacks independence.

Freedom in the World

Freedom in the World 2024 by Freedom House categorizes countries and territories based on their levels of freedom. Out of the total assessed, 84 are classified as “Free,” meaning they offer a high degree of political rights and civil liberties. 59 are labelled “Partly Free,” indicating moderate levels of freedom with some restrictions, while 67 are categorized as “Not Free,” reflecting significant repression, with limited or no political rights and civil liberties.

Freedom in the World, 2024

	No. of countries/territories
Free	84
Partly Free	59
Not Free	67

Freedom on the Net, 2024

The Freedom on the Net 2024 by Freedom House assessed internet freedom in 70 countries. Of these, 17 were classified as “Free,” indicating robust internet freedom with minimal restrictions, 32 countries were deemed “Partly Free,” where some significant restrictions on internet access and online expression exist, 21 countries were labelled “Not Free,” with severe limitations on internet freedom, extensive censorship, and repression of online activities.

	No. of countries/territories
Free	17
Partly Free	32
Not Free	21

Where does Bangladesh Stand?

In the 2024 Freedom on the Net report, Bangladesh is ranked 49th out of 70 countries and classified as “Partly Free,” with an overall score of 41/100. Internet freedom in Bangladesh deteriorated, with rising physical violence against online activists and journalists. The government intensified its crackdown on opposition supporters, particularly from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), often throttling internet services ahead of BNP rallies. The Digital Security Act (DSA) was frequently used to target opposition leaders, journalists, and critics, leading to widespread self-censorship. New regulations and legal amendments are expected to further tighten government control over the digital environment.

World Press Freedom Index 2024

The 2024 World Press Freedom Index by RSF highlights significant and often drastic changes influenced by political, social, and technological disruptions. As per the index, journalism conditions are “bad” in three out of four countries, while only one out of four offers a satisfactory environment.

	No. of countries/territories
Good situation	8
Satisfactory situation	37
Problematic situation	50
Difficult situation	49
Very serious situation	36

Where does Bangladesh Stand?

Bangladesh is ranked 165th out of 180 countries, a slight decline from its position in the previous year, falling in the last category – ‘Very Serious Situation’.
As per the report, since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh’s governments have used the media primarily as a communication tool, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration is no different. Her party, the Awami League, has been known for violent attacks on disliked journalists and judicial harassment to silence others or shut down media outlets. In this hostile climate, editors avoid criticizing the government.

Bangladesh has seen a significant decline in the quality of its Elected Government, a downward trend rooted in the highly controversial 2018 general elections. These elections were marred by widespread allegations of voter suppression, electoral fraud, and violence, severely undermining public confidence in the democratic process. The lack of meaningful reforms or improvements to the electoral system since then has only deepened the erosion of trust in the government.

As the country approached its general elections in early 2024, the political climate was fraught with escalating tensions. By 2022, Bangladesh had already experienced fatal protests, the arrest of key opposition leaders, and growing unrest among the populace. These developments highlight the fragile state of democracy in Bangladesh and have raised serious concerns about the fairness and transparency of the upcoming elections.