A new documentary episode by South Era Network (SEN) has reopened debate over accountability, financial misconduct and the direction Bangladesh could take after the national election, drawing a sharp contrast between calls for transparency and fears of a return to entrenched practices.
The fifth episode of Between Two Futures, released on Tuesday, examines the 18 months from the July 2024 uprising to the eve of the parliamentary election and referendum scheduled for 12 February South Era Network said in a press release.
The episode revisits the nationwide uprising, the departure of Sheikh Hasina to India, the formation of the interim government and the preparations for the election, framing the period as a turning point for the country.
It follows figures accused of driving Bangladesh towards economic and institutional stress, while also tracking the interim government’s struggle to stabilise the situation under pressure and against tight timelines.
The documentary argues that during more than 15 years of Sheikh Hasina’s rule, a public narrative of stability masked extensive financial misconduct behind the scenes.
According to the episode, politically connected actors were protected, loan defaulters were repeatedly accommodated and oversight failures allowed abuse within the financial system to persist.
The film examines the roles of S Alam Group, BEXIMCO and Summit, describing them as key links between the former ruling party and the financial sector.
After the July uprising, the documentary says, the interim administration began uncovering data that had long remained out of public view.
It points to disclosures by Bangladesh Bank during the interim period, which brought to light financial irregularities previously treated as routine.
The episode cites findings suggesting that at least Tk2 trillion was extracted from the financial system during the previous government’s tenure.
At the centre of the documentary is a question about the future: whether the next post-election power cycle will pursue transparency and reform or slide back into familiar patterns.
The Between Two Futures series presents the episode not only as a record of recent events but as a reflection on whether Bangladesh is approaching a deeper shift in political thinking and economic governance.
