Bangladesh’s first-ever international interdisciplinary conference on democracy began on Monday at the Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Dhaka.
The two-day conference, themed “Empowering Transition, Building Democracy,” is being organised by the Political and Policy Science Research Foundation (PPSRF) and will continue until Tuesday, according to a press release.
The conference focuses on discussions surrounding Bangladesh’s democratic transition in the post–mass uprising period, institutional reforms, the protection of human rights, and the challenges and prospects of building a tolerant society.
At the inaugural session, Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, stated that democracy is not a final destination but a continuous process. He emphasized that uncertainty is inevitable in this journey, and that patience and tolerance are essential to sustaining democracy.
He further noted that, in the context of Bangladesh, “transition” primarily refers to confronting political and social uncertainties, for which there are no easy or immediate solutions.
The Vice-Chancellor added that questions related to elections, the sustainability of reforms, institutional capacity, and social justice require multidimensional and interdisciplinary dialogue, and that conferences of this nature create opportunities to understand democracy in new ways.
Expressing optimism, he said that despite adversities, Bangladesh has proven itself to be a tolerant and resilient nation. He hoped that the conference would provide fresh perspectives on the country’s democratic journey and help build a long-term intellectual network.
Among others present at the inaugural ceremony were Professor Dr. Md. Rezaul Karim, Vice-Chancellor of Jagannath University; Professor Dr. Sayema Haque Bidisha, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Dhaka; and Professor Dr. Tayebur Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The welcome address was delivered by Professor Kazi Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, President of PPSRF and Convener of the Conference. Former Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Syed Refaat Ahmed, also addressed the opening session through a video message.
The organizers informed that 67 papers have been selected for presentation from approximately 165 research papers submitted for the conference. Representatives from around 20 countries are participating online, while scholars and institutions from nearly 35 countries have expressed interest in the event. Following the inaugural session, the conference proceedings began with a panel discussion.
Strategic partners of the conference include the Research Committees of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) (RC 48 and RC 13), the Bangladesh Social Science Research Council (BSSRC), the Bangladesh Political Science Association (BPSA), the Shadow Reforms Commission (SRC), the Shadow National Consensus Commission (SNCC), and The Young Learners Study Center (YLSC).
