Dergiler / Journal of International Relations and Political Science Studies / 2026 / Sayı: 16

From Custodianship to Reformism: Reconsidering Bangladesh's Caretaker Government System in 2024

Syed Mohsin(North South University)0009-0008-5308-3678
Sayfa
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Yayın Tarihi
2026-05-06
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The paper concludes that the 2024 CTG marks both continuity and rupture in Bangladesh’s political trajectory, offering comparative lessons on the promise and perils of caretaker and interim governments globally.

📌 3 Maddede Bu Makale

🎯
Amaç & Hipotez:Bangladesh’s caretaker government (CTG) system has historically functioned as a pragmatic institutional innovation to address electoral mistrust and partisan polarization.
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Temel Bulgular & Veri:Introduced formally through the Thirteenth Amendment in 1996, the system oversaw several election cycles before its abolition in 2011 via the Fifteenth Amendment.
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Sonuç & Katkı:The paper concludes that the 2024 CTG marks both continuity and rupture in Bangladesh’s political trajectory, offering comparative lessons on the promise and perils of caretaker and interim governments globally.
🔬Tür:Modelleme & Sayısal Simülasyon
📍Kapsam:2011 Verileri
⚙️Değişkenler:Caretaker Government (CTG) · Interim Governance · Reformist-Populist

Özet

Bangladesh’s caretaker government (CTG) system has historically functioned as a pragmatic institutional innovation to address electoral mistrust and partisan polarization. Introduced formally through the Thirteenth Amendment in 1996, the system oversaw several election cycles before its abolition in 2011 via the Fifteenth Amendment. Yet, the formation of a new caretaker government in 2024 under Muhammad Yunus, following mass student-led uprisings, demonstrates the persistence of this mechanism as a political solution in times of crisis. This paper examines the evolution of caretaker governments in Bangladesh, compares the 2024 case with earlier iterations—particularly the 2006–2008 technocratic-military model—and situates it within global experiences of interim governments in Pakistan, Nepal, and Greece. Drawing on constitutional and judicial documents, secondary scholarship, and ten key informant interviews (KIIs) with political analysts, editors, academics, veteran politicians, and youth activists, the study finds that the 2024 CTG represents a qualitatively distinct “reformist-populist” variant of interim governance. Unlike its predecessors, which were narrowly custodial, the Yunus-led caretaker combines electoral supervision with institutional reforms, civil society inclusion, and populist legitimacy rooted in mass mobilization. While this hybrid form addresses longstanding demands for neutrality and reform, it also raises concerns about overreach, civic restrictions, and the erosion of representative politics. The paper concludes that the 2024 CTG marks both continuity and rupture in Bangladesh’s political trajectory, offering comparative lessons on the promise and perils of caretaker and interim governments globally.

Abstract

Bangladesh’s caretaker government (CTG) system has historically functioned as a pragmatic institutional innovation to address electoral mistrust and partisan polarization. Introduced formally through the Thirteenth Amendment in 1996, the system oversaw several election cycles before its abolition in 2011 via the Fifteenth Amendment. Yet, the formation of a new caretaker government in 2024 under Muhammad Yunus, following mass student-led uprisings, demonstrates the persistence of this mechanism as a political solution in times of crisis. This paper examines the evolution of caretaker governments in Bangladesh, compares the 2024 case with earlier iterations—particularly the 2006–2008 technocratic-military model—and situates it within global experiences of interim governments in Pakistan, Nepal, and Greece. Drawing on constitutional and judicial documents, secondary scholarship, and ten key informant interviews (KIIs) with political analysts, editors, academics, veteran politicians, and youth activists, the study finds that the 2024 CTG represents a qualitatively distinct “reformist-populist” variant of interim governance. Unlike its predecessors, which were narrowly custodial, the Yunus-led caretaker combines electoral supervision with institutional reforms, civil society inclusion, and populist legitimacy rooted in mass mobilization. While this hybrid form addresses longstanding demands for neutrality and reform, it also raises concerns about overreach, civic restrictions, and the erosion of representative politics. The paper concludes that the 2024 CTG marks both continuity and rupture in Bangladesh’s political trajectory, offering comparative lessons on the promise and perils of caretaker and interim governments globally.

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Bu Makaleye Atıf Yap

Mohsin, S. (2026). From Custodianship to Reformism: Reconsidering Bangladesh's Caretaker Government System in 2024. Journal of International Relations and Political Science Studies, Sayı: 16. https://doi.org/10.69494/jirps.1863970

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Kaynakça (11)

  1. AFP. (2024, October 8). Bangladesh's Yunus says no elections before reforms. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bangladeshs-yunus-says-no-elections-before-reforms/article68731980.ece
  2. Ahmed, M. (2025). When Mobs Decide the Verdict: The Fall of Judicial Independence in Bangladesh from 5 August 2024 -20 June 2025. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5621970
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  10. Das, J., & Abdul, M. (2025). Legitimacy in Flux: A Theoretical Inquiry into Bangladesh's August 2024 Interim Regime. Journal of State Government and Mass Media, 4, 1. https://doi.org/10.64907/xkmf.v03i04.jsgmm1 Daud, S. M. A. (2024). Constitutional legitimacy of the interim government: Analysis on Bangladesh Perspective. International Journal of Law, Social Science, and Humanities, 1(2), 59–64. https://doi.org/10.70193/ijlsh.v1i2.156
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