BNP govt's first 6 months in Bangladesh marked by 'extreme disorder', say opposition
Synopsis
Six months into power, Bangladesh's BNP government is facing a united opposition front — from Jamaat-e-Islami to the National Citizen Party — accusing it of cronyism, energy mismanagement, and turning commodity prices into 'extreme disorder'. With remittances cited as the sole economic lifeline, the early-term verdict from rivals is unusually harsh.
Key Takeaways
The BNP government completed six months in office on Monday, 18 August , prompting opposition assessments of its performance.
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar described the tenure as unsuccessful, alleging syndicates, politicisation, and corruption.
Parwar warned the government's revenue board would miss its targets, with the economy surviving largely on expatriate remittances .
NCP lawmaker Atik Mujahid said the government had 'failed everywhere' and created a 'chaotic situation' in six months.
Fuel, gas, and electricity shortages alongside rising essential commodity prices have been cited as the most critical governance failures.
Opposition parties have called for cross-party dialogue to address the country's pressing crises.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government has completed six months in office, with opposition leaders across the political spectrum describing the tenure as a failure, citing spiralling commodity prices, persistent energy shortages, deteriorating law and order, and widespread politicisation of state institutions. Local Bangladeshi media reported the assessments on Tuesday, 18 August.
How the BNP Came to Power
The BNP formed the government after securing a majority in Bangladesh's 13th national parliamentary election held in February 2025. The party had contested on a 31-point electoral pledge, and with six months of its tenure now complete, attention has turned to how much of that agenda has been delivered and how effectively the government has managed the country's affairs.
Opposition Verdict: Chaos and Failure
Opposition leaders have characterised the government's first half-year as a period of disorder. Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former lawmaker Mia Golam Parwar described the tenure as unsuccessful, alleging deep-rooted corruption and cronyism within the administration.
'Everywhere is filled with their syndicates, politicisation and corruption. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul himself has given the certificate of bribery and corruption,' Parwar was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune.
Parwar further alleged that the government had distributed 'various cards, contracts and appointments' exclusively among party loyalists, and had 'failed to demonstrate competence in the cabinet.' He also warned that the country's revenue board would fall short of its collection targets, adding that the economy was being kept afloat 'only on the remittances sent by expatriates,' with no significant exports or new investment in sight.
Energy Crisis and Price Surge at the Centre
Fuel shortages, gas supply disruptions, and electricity deficits have emerged as the most visible pressure points of the BNP's first six months, according to opposition voices. Parwar described prices of essential commodities as being in a 'state of extreme disorder' — a phrase that has since been widely circulated in Bangladeshi political discourse.
This comes amid a broader pattern of energy stress that Bangladesh has faced since the post-pandemic period, when global commodity prices and supply chain disruptions put sustained pressure on import-dependent economies across South Asia.
National Citizen Party Joins the Criticism
National Citizen Party (NCP) Joint Convener and lawmaker Atik Mujahid echoed the criticism, telling The Dhaka Tribune that the government had 'failed everywhere' and created a 'chaotic situation' within its first six months. He alleged that the administration remained preoccupied with political consolidation rather than solving governance crises. 'They are actually unable to solve any problem. They are only busy with politicisation,' Mujahid said.
Notably, the criticism has come not just from legacy opposition parties but also from newer political formations like the NCP, suggesting that disillusionment with the BNP's early performance extends beyond traditional rivals.
What Comes Next
Opposition parties have called on the BNP government to engage with public opinion across party lines and adopt a more collaborative approach to resolving the country's pressing crises. Whether the government responds to these demands or doubles down on its current approach will likely shape Bangladesh's political temperature heading into the second half of its term.
Point of View
It signals a governance credibility problem that transcends partisan rivalry. The BNP's 31-point electoral pledge gave it a specific accountability benchmark, and six months in, neither the government nor its critics have produced a structured public audit of that pledge — which itself is a failure of political transparency. Bangladesh's energy and price crises are partly structural and partly inherited, but the opposition's charge of politicisation in appointments and contracts, if substantiated, would represent a self-inflicted wound on an already stressed economy.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has the BNP government been in power in Bangladesh?
The BNP government has completed six months in office as of mid-August 2025, having formed the government after winning a majority in Bangladesh's 13th national parliamentary election held in February 2025.
What are the main criticisms levelled against the BNP government?
Opposition parties have criticised the government for spiralling commodity prices, persistent fuel, gas, and electricity shortages, deteriorating law and order, and alleged politicisation of contracts and appointments within party ranks.
What did Jamaat-e-Islami say about the BNP's performance?
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar described the first six months as unsuccessful, alleging widespread corruption, cronyism, and a failure to demonstrate cabinet competence. He also warned that the revenue board would miss its targets and that the economy was surviving only on expatriate remittances.
Who is Atik Mujahid and what did he say?
Atik Mujahid is a lawmaker and Joint Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP). He told The Dhaka Tribune that the BNP government had 'failed everywhere' and created a chaotic situation in the country during its first six months, accusing it of prioritising political consolidation over problem-solving.
What has the opposition demanded from the BNP government?
Opposition leaders have called on the BNP government to engage with public opinion across political lines and work collectively to address crises including energy shortages, rising prices, and law-and-order deterioration.
