Dhaka: A clear trend is currently visible in Bangladesh’s politics—many children of popular representatives, MPs, and ministers are actively entering politics. Some are doing so at the local level, while others are directly trying to secure positions in parliamentary politics. As a result, in many areas it has almost become certain that future political leadership will remain within the same families.
This trend of dynastic politics stands in contradiction to the core spirit of democracy. Democracy means opportunity and competition—where capable, hardworking, and popular individuals rise to leadership based on merit. Family-centered politics, however, narrows that opportunity. It pushes countless talented, educated, and dedicated grassroots activists to the margins, as the doors to leadership are almost closed to them.
Consequently, party image is damaged, political culture weakens, and public trust declines. People are gradually beginning to believe that politics no longer belongs to the people, but has become an inherited asset of a few families.
Therefore, party leadership must now consider this issue with utmost seriousness. If leaders are selected based on merit, quality of work, and public trust, a new generation of genuine leadership can emerge in politics. Democracy will survive only when leadership grows from the people and the grassroots—not from family inheritance.
Shabera Shormin Haque
Master’s in Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Development Studies, Business Administration, and International Relations
PhD Fellowship in World Economic Development
