The London-based Futures Institute, “conducts international research and consultancy work to promote future’s literacy with a particular focus on marginalised people and Muslim communities and societies.” With Bangladesh at a crucial juncture – a general election on 12 February 2026 following the popular uprising against Shaikh Hasina – the Institute on 5 February launched a 302 page report, ‘Vision for a better Bangladesh’ at the offices of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in Westminster.
The launch was chaired by the Vice-Chair of the Institute’s Board of Advisors, Dr Mohammad Abdul Aziz, with a main presentation by Raiyan Azami, its policy analyst and director. Called on to respond to the policy document were Professor Yasin Atkay, associated with the Justice and Development Party, Turkey in a number of senior roles and Professor Hans Peter Lankes, Deputy Chief Executive and Managing Director, ODI Global.
The foreword of the report notes,
| Bangladesh stands at an important moment in its journey. The choices it makes today — about governance, the economy, social policy, and national priorities — will shape the country its future generations will inherit. At such a time, leadership must be guided not by impulse or reaction, but by clear vision, sound evidence, and strong values. When governments enter office without detailed, strategic, and evidence-based plans, necessary reforms are delayed, decisions are taken hastily, and policy space is quietly shaped by unelected actors. This weakens democratic accountability and risks disconnecting public policy from the values and priorities of the people. This is why Vision for a Better Bangladesh was developed. This publication is a comprehensive policy roadmap designed to support leadership with clear, practical, and research-driven strategies from day one. |
The report is structured on the themes of ‘Restoring Integrity and Trust’, ‘Strategies for National Growth’, ‘Strengthening Sovereignty through Diplomacy and Defence’, ‘Developing Infrastructure for a Resilient Society’ and ‘ Culture, Inclusion and Media’.
The section on ‘Developing Infrastructure’ considered the needs for ‘Health – A moral reset of Bangladesh’s Health System’, ‘Education Reform – Restoring Purpose and Skills for Life’, ‘Agriculture and Food Security – From Dependence to Resilience’, ‘Environment – Future directions for environmental policy in Bangladesh’, ‘Transport – A Reform Agenda for Bangladesh’s Transport System’, ‘Information and Communication Technology – A Strategic Path for Digital Transformation’.
Professor Lankes commended the report as “a pragmatic and inspiring vision’, noting that the new Government will need to move on several fronts at the same time, because the proposals are a set of interlocking policies that are a package.of complementary measures. Drawing on his experience as a development economist, he highlighted the opportunities in the energy sector. Professor Aktay cited Max Weber in his reflection on the importance of motivational factors for societal changes. He commended the report for incorporating Muslim values in its policy analyses. Without ethical values, a secular polity “creates elites who have nothing to do with good governance”.
In the Question & Answer session, many participants raised the problem of corruption that was entrenched at many levels in Bangladesh. In Professor Lankes’ view, there was a good practice example in how this has been addressed in Poland and Georgia, in the latter case by the use of e-governance to reduce “opportunities to game the system”. Professor Aktay reflected on the Justice and Development Party’s success “in reducing corruption by 90% in Turkey” – it was still there but to a much reduced level – perhaps inevitable after one party has been in power for 24 years. He noted two of President Erdogan’s strengths: the ability to identify experts who appropriate for the task; his courage at the outset in 2002 in invoking the Constitution to encourage the army to return to the barracks.
The challenge facing the Futures Institute is now to develop concrete proposals for transforming a commendable vision to reality.
Source: https://www.tfiuk.org/