Topic: 2025 – Authoritarianism and Democracy
Country: Bangladesh
Delegate Name: Allyson Becker
Since gaining independence in 1971 through a struggle for linguistic rights and political autonomy, Bangladesh has defined itself by an aspiration toward democratic governance. Yet, like many newer democracies, it has confronted periods of military rule, political polarization, and institutional fragility. These challenges place Bangladesh squarely within today’s global concern over the rise of authoritarian tendencies and the erosion of democratic norms.
The international trends highlighted in the UNDP’s 2023 Spotlight article and The Global State of Democracy 2022 (economic inequality, social uncertainty, migration, and the pressures of globalization) are deeply relevant to Bangladesh’s political environment. Global surveys showing that 52% of citizens across 77 countries now support strong leaders unconstrained by institutional checks, compared to 38% in 2009, reveal a worldwide crisis of confidence in democratic processes. As a climate-vulnerable, densely populated lower-middle-income nation, Bangladesh faces many of the structural pressures that make democracy difficult to sustain.
Bangladesh is often categorized by global democracy indices as an electoral autocracy, a classification that recognizes regular multiparty elections but notes limitations on civil liberties and political competition. Bangladesh acknowledges these assessments but emphasizes that democratic consolidation must occur alongside development, stability, and security. For Bangladesh, economic growth and political stability are not alternatives to democracy but preconditions for its deepening.
The government has pursued several initiatives aimed at improving institutional capacity. These include reforms to the Digital Security Act to balance expression with cybersecurity needs, the expansion of the Access to Information (a2i) program to enhance transparency and reduce corruption, and the digitization of voter registration to strengthen electoral integrity. Bangladesh’s ratification of key human-rights instruments—including the ICCPR, CAT, CEDAW, and UNCAC—signals its formal commitment to democratic rights, accountability, and rule of law.
Bangladesh also recognizes the global pattern identified in the V-Dem 2023 report: 71% of the world’s population now lives under autocracies, and authoritarian regimes are becoming more durable, lasting an average of 20 years. These findings reinforce the urgency of supporting institutional resilience before democratic erosion becomes irreversible. Bangladesh believes that the United Nations must play a central role by strengthening, not punishing, states seeking to reinforce democratic practices.
Bangladesh advocates for a resolution that supports UN technical assistance, including election-monitoring capacity, digital voter-roll security, and training for independent media and civil society. Bangladesh also supports the creation of a UN Democracy Support Fund to help developing nations build institutional strength without compromising national sovereignty. Such an approach recognizes that democracy cannot be pressured into existence; it must be cultivated through partnership, stability, and sustained investment.
Bangladesh’s position is shaped not only by its internal priorities but also by its external environment. The political trajectories of South Asian neighbors and major global powers directly affect Bangladesh’s strategic landscape. Balancing relationships with both Western democracies and regional partners, Bangladesh seeks a pragmatic path that advances democratic principles while maintaining development and security.
Bangladesh enters this committee committed to realistic, context-sensitive strategies for strengthening democracy worldwide, and to ensuring that newer democracies receive the support necessary to uphold the rights and aspirations of their people.
