In September 2025, notable political and electoral developments took place across Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Myanmar. In Bangladesh, the National Consensus Commission continued to struggle to secure agreement among political parties on the July charter ahead of the upcoming elections, while the Election Commission pressed forward with its preparations. Along the Cambodia–Thailand border, tensions persisted amid ongoing conflict, as the Cambodian government intensified its crackdown on the media under the guise of nationalism. Meanwhile, in Myanmar, the junta accelerated its preparations for the planned elections widely seen as “sham”  while simultaneously launching major offensives against resistance forces operations that resulted in significant civilian casualties.

In Bangladesh, electoral reforms have taken center stage in the ongoing discussions between the National Consensus Commission, and various political parties as they work toward finalizing the country’s reform agenda under the proposed July Charter.  A key point of contention remains the introduction of a proportional representation (PR) system for the proposed upper and lower houses, where political parties have yet to reach an agreement. 

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC) has been finalizing the voter list and undertaking constituency delimitation, which has sparked controversy 14 writ petitions have already been filed challenging the process. BEC announced plans to introduce “Postal Vote BD,” a mobile app designed to facilitate postal ballot registration for expatriates, signaling an initial effort to modernize the overseas voting process. On the security front, the interim government and BEC has intensified its preparations, prioritizing law and order through coordinated operations involving five key agencies including the Police, NSI, RAB, Special Branch, and DGFI. Additionally, a nationwide list of extortionists is being compiled as part of broader efforts to ensure a secure electoral environment.

In Cambodia, the government has continued its harassment of political opponents, with the Khmer Will Party continuing to be the latest target. Recently, two elected local officials from the Khmer Will Party were sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined two million riel, reflecting the ongoing suppression of dissent. The CPP dominant Cambodian Senate also unanimously approved amendments to the Law on Nationality, granting the government the authority to revoke citizenship in cases of alleged treason or collusion with foreign powers. This amendment effectively enables the revocation of citizenship from hundreds of exiled political opponents, further entrenching the government’s ability to silence critics under the guise of national security.

Meanwhile, border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand remain high while the government continues to weaponize nationalist narratives to justify its crackdown on independent media and maintain strict control over public discourse. Two journalists were charged with treason for reporting on the clashes along the border. 

In Myanmar, ahead of the junta’s planned elections widely referred as “Sham”, the military junta continued to tighten its grip on the political landscape through party dissolutions, repressive laws, and violent suppression ahead of its planned elections. The Union Election Commission (UEC) controlled by the junta dissolved four political parties. The UEC also announced its plans to invite around 20 international observer groups, with reported support from China, Russia, India, and the EU while the Chairman of UEC met with the Indian Ambassador to discuss India’s participation in Myanmar’s political process, including election observation, voter lists, election phases, and technical assistance.

The junta has responded with increased repression detaining critics of its planned elections and a total of twelve people have detained under and junta enacted Election Protection Law, within a month, and people are continuing to kill as junta escalate aerial bombings that killed over 100 civilians since the election announcement. 

315 international civil society organizations condemned the polls as a “sham election” and urged ASEAN to reject them while ANFREL published its evidenced based assessment to junta’s planned elections and called “Elections staged by the junta in Myanmar do not align with international standards and cannot be considered credible or legitimate”. The ANFREL full report to be found here. 

In conclusion, both Cambodia and Myanmar continue to exhibit entrenched patterns of authoritarian consolidation, where elections are instrumentalized to legitimize power rather than to reflect the genuine will of the people. Myanmar’s military junta, in particular, has mirrored strategies previously seen in Bangladesh and currently evident in Cambodia — holding elections in a highly restrictive civic environment dominated by state-aligned or handpicked political parties. Devoid of credible domestic or international observation, these processes serve less as exercises in representation and more as mechanisms to reinforce authoritarian control under the guise of electoral legitimacy.

In contrast, Bangladesh presents a more complex and nuanced picture. Since the 2022 uprising, the country has projected an image of reform and participatory governance. However, this process remains constrained by limited public engagement and weak institutional capacity. The sustainability of Bangladesh’s reform momentum faces significant challenges due to the persistent lack of political consensus among political parties, which continues to hinder meaningful democratic consolidation.

Read the full issue here: “Resilience Watch | Monthly Brief on Countries Under Restrictive Environment (Series #18)“