The nation’s repeated moments of political rupture—first in 1971 and most recently in the mass uprising of 2024—have been driven by a shared promise: freedom not only from authoritarian rule, but from inequality, corruption, and systemic injustice. More than 16 months after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, many people now say that promise remains largely unfulfilled.
The uprising that toppled what critics described as an entrenched authoritarian regime last year generated widespread optimism for meaningful national transformation. Sixteen months on, however, public expectations appear to be fading amid growing frustration over stalled reforms under Muhammad Yunus–led interim government.
For participants in the 2024 movement, the contrast between aspiration and reality is becoming increasingly stark. Belayet Hossain, who took part in the uprising and lives in Dhaka’s Khilgaon area, draws a direct line between the ideals of 1971 and the disappointments of today.
“People fought for equality and justice along with freedom in 1971,” he said. “But over time, power became centralised, and institutions began serving political loyalty rather than the public.”
While Hossain acknowledges that the 2024 uprising brought immediate changes—particularly in easing restrictions on free expression—he argues that the deeper structures of governance remain intact.
“People can speak more freely now, but the system has not changed,” he said. “Corruption, bribery, and job stagnation continue.” His assessment reflects a broader public sentiment that political change has yet to translate into institutional reform.
For Bangladesh’s poorest citizens, the language of liberation often feels abstract. Majnu Mia, a 68-year-old rickshaw puller from Sirajganj, says successive political transitions have brought little tangible improvement to daily life.
“Governments change, but our lives do not,” he said.
Mia believes that the class inequalities that persisted after independence in 1971 remain deeply entrenched today. “After both independence and 2024, we hoped things would be fairer,” he said. “But the poor are still struggling, while nothing changes for us.”
The uneven nature of development is particularly visible outside Dhaka. Enayet Khan, 31, from Manikganj, said the promises of equality made during the Liberation War have never been realised in rural areas.
“After 1971, we hoped for equality for everyone—rich or poor, city or village,” he said. “But development is concentrated in cities. Villages are left behind. Even after the 2024 uprising, life for the rural poor is almost the same as before.”
Education, long seen as a pathway to social mobility, remains another source of disillusionment. Shakhawat Hossain, 27, from Jhenaidah, says the vision of universal, quality education articulated during the independence struggle remains distant.
“We dreamed of a country where every child could go to school and build a better life,” he said. “But rural schools are underfunded, quality education is limited, and inequality keeps growing. The promise of education for all remains far from reality.”
The Liberation War of 1971 sought more than sovereignty. Its ideals encompassed economic freedom, social justice, human dignity, and the establishment of a democratic and secular state. In the decades that followed, political instability, corruption, and periods of military rule undermined those ambitions.
The 2024 uprising was widely seen as a continuation of that unfinished struggle, mobilising public anger against fifteen years of authoritarian governance, corruption, and widening inequality. While it succeeded in ending a long-standing regime, critics argue that entrenched political culture and structural weaknesses now threaten the reform process.
Efforts to establish a corruption-free administration, an impartial judiciary, and a genuinely democratic system remain at an early stage. Analysts warn that without sustained political will and institutional overhaul, the cycle of popular mobilisation followed by public disappointment may repeat itself.
Professor Sabbir Ahmed of Dhaka University’s Department of Political Science says the sense of frustration felt today echoes earlier post-1971 disillusionment.
“Yes, the public feels frustrated because the changes they expected did not fully materialise,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh. “People always hope for progress after major political change, but the way reforms were implemented often fell short of expectations.”
Still, Ahmed believes the current moment is not without possibility.
“It is not too late,” he said. “There is still an opportunity to turn things around. If we learn from every mistake, we can correct the course and move forward.”
For many in the country, however, patience is wearing thin. As memories of the uprising recede, the enduring gap between the promises of liberation and the realities of everyday life continues to shape public discontent—just as it has since 1971.
