Democracy Index: Bangladesh moves eight notches up

Bangladesh has moved up eight notches on the Democracy Index 2019 of the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Bangladesh falls in the “hybrid regime” category, which means that substantial irregularities often prevent the elections from being free and fair, said the report by the research and analysis division of the Economist Group.

“Government pressure on opposition parties and candidates may be common. Serious weaknesses are more prevalent than in flawed democracies -- in political culture, functioning of government and political participation,” reads its definition of a hybrid regime.

“Corruption tends to be widespread and the rule of law is weak. Civil society is weak. Typically, there is harassment of and pressure on journalists, and the judiciary is not independent.”

Last year, Bangladesh ranked 88th with a score of 5.57 and this year it ranked 80th with 5.88.

Among the South Asian countries, only India and Sri Lanka are ahead of Bangladesh. However, India moved down 10 notches on the index this year.

The Democracy Index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide in 165 independent states and two territories, according to the intelligence unit.

It is based on electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture and civil liberties.

Norway topped the index, with a score of 9.87, while North Korea was at the bottom, with a score of 1.08. China is now 153rd scoring 2.26.

The Index, published on the website of Economist Intelligence Unit yesterday, described 2019 as a “tumultuous year” for Asian democracies. The biggest change occurred in Thailand, which moved up 38 notches, while introduction of a law against “fake news” in Singapore affected its score in civil liberties.

Singapore, Hong Kong and India have all dropped, with violent protests and threats to civil liberties.

“The 2019 result is even worse than that recorded in 2010, in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis.”

The index reveals that despite a growing disillusionment with formal political institutions, political participation is on the rise in almost every region around the world, with the population being spurred into political action, the research group said.