53% voters think interim govt’s term should be 2 years or less: Survey

At least 53% of voters believe the interim government's tenure should be two years or less, while 47% think it should be three years or more, according to a recent survey by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at North South University.

Akram Hossain, an assistant professor at North South University, presented the findings at a seminar titled, "Citizens Expectations from Bangladesh's Interim Government", at the National Press Club today (2 October).

The research, conducted from 9 to 19 September, involved 1,869 participants from 17 districts in eight divisions of the country. 

According to the survey, 63% of respondents were middle-aged (ages 28-50), 22% belonged to Generation Z (ages 18-27), and 14% were over 50. Besides, 54% of the participants resided in urban areas, with the remaining 46% from rural areas.

The survey also highlighted political engagement and reform preferences among respondents. While 46% were uncertain about their political affiliation, 54% expressed an interest in mainstream politics. 

An overwhelming 96% supported limiting the prime minister's term, and 46% believed in the need for significant constitutional reforms, with 16% calling for an entirely new constitution.

Respondents expressed satisfaction with the interim government's current performance, particularly its flood management efforts in August and September.

They stressed the need for reforms in the police, education, political, and electoral systems.

In his keynote speech at the seminar, Badiul Alam Majumdar, chief of the Electoral Reform Commission and Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (Sujon), said, "I believe this research was conducted correctly, and we are likely familiar with its findings. What we perceive ourselves and hear from others aligns with this research."

He added, "One clear point in people's minds is justice. Those who have been in power and committed crimes—whether against humanity, financial misconduct, or electoral fraud—must be brought to justice. This is a common demand from the public. They want fair and transparent judgments, along with convictions based on the verdict. Additionally, the state must reform to prevent future occurrences."

Majumdar continued, "We have had free and fair elections before, but we did not see the benefits. The issue is one related to our political culture. If politicians do not keep their promises after gaining power, we will never benefit. To see real results, we must change our political culture and our parties. A democratic state requires a democratic mindset and democratic parties."

The seminar, moderated by Prof Mahbubur Rahman, chairman of the Department of History and Philosophy at North South University, also featured speeches from Professor Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman, advisor to SIPG, and Prof Navine Murshid from the Department of Political Science and Sociology at North South University, among others.