National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam on Saturday accused the government of preserving the old state structure instead of implementing reforms promised after the July 2024 uprising.
"The people voted for structural changes, but the ruling elite is selectively trying to preserve the old power structure through minor amendments," Nahid said at a dialogue titled 'Reform Deadlock: The Path to a Way Out' in the capital.
Describing the July 2024 uprising as "a historic national awakening", he said people from different walks of life had united against what he termed an authoritarian system marked by concentration of executive power, weakened institutions and restrictions on freedom of expression.
Nahid said the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus had been entrusted with reforming institutions, ensuring justice and facilitating democratic transition, but alleged that reform commitments were now being diluted.
He claimed the NCP had initially supported adoption of a new democratic constitution, but political opposition later forced parties to settle for limited reforms under the "July Charter".
According to Nahid, the charter included provisions on judicial independence, protection of constitutional bodies from executive interference and establishment of an upper house based on proportional representation.
He alleged that the government was refusing to form the proposed Constitutional Reform Council despite public backing for the July Charter and 48 reform proposals.
Nahid further claimed that several reform ordinances introduced during the interim administration had since been repealed, including measures relating to the Human Rights Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission appointments, prevention of enforced disappearance and judicial independence.
"At the same time, laws and provisions increasing executive power have either been retained or newly enacted," he said, warning of a return to centralised governance.
The NCP leader also criticised the government over alleged economic mismanagement and politicisation of institutions, claiming reforms in the banking sector had stalled and merit was being undermined in universities and the civil administration.
On freedom of expression, he alleged that citizens were facing cases and arrests under the Cyber Security Ordinance over social media activities.
Concluding his remarks, Nahid warned that failure to implement reform commitments could again erode public confidence in democratic institutions.
"Sustainable stability cannot be achieved through concentration of power or symbolic reforms. It can only come through democratic legitimacy, institutional independence and constitutional accountability," he said.
