Ali Riaz

BLACK, WHITE & GREY

Ali Riaz is a distinguished professor of political science at Illinois State University (ISU), and a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council. His recent publication is entitled “Voting in a Hybrid Regime: Explaining the 2018 Bangladeshi Election” (2019).

Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2024: Another indictment of Bangladesh’s state of governance

Bangladesh, since 2018, has been classified as a 'moderate autocracy.'

3w ago

The rise of personalistic autocracy: What should we do?

Since the middle of the 2000s, the world has witnessed a precipitous decline in democratic countries. After almost three decades of proliferation of democratic governance, described by Samuel Huntington as the Third Wave of democracy, the third reverse wave is sweeping the globe.

What democracy indices say about Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s declining score in the EIU Democracy Index should provide an opportunity to discuss not only how EIU has rated Bangladesh, but also how others have characterised the country’s state of democracy—or lack thereof.

The Great Game will continue

The absence of democratic behaviour is no longer hidden under the carpet.

What comes after January 7?

If AL’s victory in the 2014 election was a hollow one, the 2024 victory in the making is nothing short of a Pyrrhic one—a victory which inflicts so much damage that it cannot be considered worthwhile.

Elections without choice: A leaf out of autocrats’ playbook

As the country is heading towards an exercise that the incumbent is calling an election, it is imperative that we understand what is in the making.

EC’s act is ‘an improbable fiction’

The EC’s action has already contributed to the deterioration of the political situation, and it will continue to reverberate in the coming days.

Reading Donald Lu’s letter, intently

Is there a connection between India’s clarification of its policy and Lu’s letter?

June 30, 2021
June 30, 2021

100 Years Of Dhaka University: The illusive autonomy and the partisanship

The founding anniversary of any organisation offers an opportunity for introspection; a centenary makes introspection an imperative. In its centenary, the important task Dhaka University faces is identifying its most significant achievement in the last hundred years.

June 25, 2021
June 25, 2021

Mohiuddin Ahmed: An institution in himself

To the average reader, Mohiuddin Ahmed is better known as the founder of University Press Limited, a reputed publishing house in the country.

June 19, 2021
June 19, 2021

A press release that bares it all

The news that the Dhaka University authorities said they will take legal action if the university and/or its vice-chancellor, Prof Akhtaruzzaman, is mocked in social media is quite shocking.

May 4, 2021
May 4, 2021

India’s Covid 19 catastrophe: The cost of complacency

"Last year, in February-March, a lot of experts had said that India will be the worst-affected country, there will be tsunami of cases.

March 23, 2021
March 23, 2021

A cancelled 1971 conference in Pakistan sends a message

An institution of higher learning in Pakistan had to cancel an academic conference about 1971.

February 19, 2021
February 19, 2021

An ideal vision of democracy in Bangladesh

Considering that there is no universally agreed definition of democracy, let alone an ideal democracy, any discussion on an ideal vision of democracy may well be deemed as a futile exercise.

January 9, 2021
January 9, 2021

An assault on democracy: What’s next in the US?

Since the atrocious attack on the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters on Wednesday, the Congress has formally certified the victory of Joe Biden, some Cabinet members of the Trump administration have resigned, and some are considering invoking the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution and removing Donald Trump from office.

December 16, 2020
December 16, 2020

Democracy: The journey that has taken a wrong turn

If one must identify the fundamental premise of the founding of independent Bangladesh, it is democracy—we can claim that democracy was the raison d’etre for establishing the country.

December 16, 2020
December 16, 2020

BRACU Law School & Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division organises legislative research workshop

School of Law, BRAC University in collaboration with the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh jointly organised the workshop titled ‘Legislative Research for Identification of Discriminatory Provisions in Existing Laws of Bangladesh’ held on 12 December, 2020 at BCDM Savar.

September 5, 2020
September 5, 2020

US Election 2020: What Biden Must Do

With the national conventions behind, Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden and Republican candidate incumbent Donald Trump, are now on the campaign trail.

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