The Charade : Bangladesh's 2024 Election

Ali Riaz's 'The Charade : Bangladesh's 2024 Election' examines the controversial election that gave the Bangladesh Awami League a predictable victory and secured Sheikh Hasina's fourth consecutive term. Public discourse in Bangladesh has called it a 'dummy election,' and rightfully so. The election was marked by machination, intrigue, coercion, enticement, and wanton use of state apparatuses.

How was this essentially uncontested election designed? How did the events unfold leading to the election? What does it mean for the future of the country? This book compiles commentaries that answer these questions and offer perceptive analyses of the events. It highlights the roles of various actors in this political drama. As the country's politics spiraled downward toward a personalized autocratic system, these essays repeatedly raised alarm bells that are more pertinent today than ever. For anyone interested in Bangladeshi politics and democratic processes, this collection is essential reading.