Govt pushing reforms without stakeholder involvement: Debapriya

The interim government has been advancing reform initiatives without engaging key stakeholders, said eminent economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya on Thursday.

Speaking at a pre-election programme titled “Citizen Manifesto” organised by Citizens’ Platform in Sylhet, Dr Debapriya, a distinguished fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), criticised the government for excluding public participation in its reform efforts.

“The interim government is pursuing reforms and continuing discussions on the issue. However, more than a year has passed, and neither the government nor its advisers have directly engaged with stakeholders or the general public,” he said. “They are attempting to reform the system without involving the people.”

He also noted that the interim administration lacks a strong moral foundation since it is not an elected government.

The Citizens’ Platform organised the event to promote the inclusion of marginalised communities and reflect their concerns in national discussions surrounding reforms, justice, and the upcoming elections.

According to the organisers, the Citizen Manifesto will outline several key national priorities aimed at building a fairer and more equitable Bangladesh.

The programme will be streamed live on the organisation’s Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn platforms to encourage public feedback and participation.