While Bangladesh suffered democratic backsliding and increasing authoritarian tendencies, the opposition made a resurgence on the political scene with large-scale rallies and protests. Despite government-imposed transportation disruptions and a crackdown on opposition activists, these rallies drew significant participation.
The legitimization of the ruling authoritarian government was largely based on promises of economic growth and infrastructure development. However, with inflation reaching its highest point in a decade and foreign exchange reserves dwindling, Bangladesh encountered economic difficulties during the review period. To tackle budget deficits and balance of payment issues, Bangladesh requested financial support from the IMF, World Bank and other international organizations.
In recent years, Bangladesh has performed well in Human Development Index rankings. Nonetheless, structural constraints such as extreme poverty, a lack of an educated labor force, and infrastructure deficiencies are still major obstacles for the country.
