Bangladesh’s ruling party will consolidate its support

Significance

The AL will seek a fourth consecutive governing term at the general election due by the end of 2023. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has in recent weeks talked of forming a new alliance to strengthen its poll challenge.

Impacts

• The BNP may boycott the next general election unless Hasina’s administration allows the formation of a poll-time caretaker government.
• Bangladesh will struggle to achieve the 7.5% real GDP growth which it targets for the fiscal year ending June 2023, given high inflation.
• Delays linked to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may set back some of the government’s megaprojects.