Distinguished Professor of Politics and Government Ali Riaz has published an essay in the PS: Political Science and Politics journal (Vol 52, Issue 2, April 2019). The essay is titled “Legislature as a Tool of the Hybrid Regime: Bangladesh Experience“. It is included in the special spotlight section of the journal on “The Decline in Legislative Powers and Rise of Authoritarianism.”
In this essay Riaz argues that Bangladesh embraced parliamentary democracy in 1991, after a short-lived one-party authoritarian system in 1975 and 15 years of military and pseudo-civilian rule. However, by 2018, it is an example of how an enfeebled legislative body can become a tool of the executive in its authoritarian agenda. He contends that Bangladeshi experience fits the typical hybrid regime. In a hybrid regime, the legislative body is stripped of its independence; consequently, it is relegated to a “rubber stamp” for the wishes of the executive. The legislative body then is used to manipulate the constitution to establish control over the electoral arena and judiciary.
PS: Political Science and Politics is published by the American Political Science Association.
