Can we achieve change without chaos?

This opinion article by Dr. Kazi ASM Nurul Huda, published in The Daily Star on August 5, 2026, examines whether meaningful political change in Bangladesh can be achieved without violent upheaval, written in the context of the student-led uprising of July-August 2024 that triggered an abrupt regime change. The author draws on historical comparisons — contrasting the chaotic French Revolution and its descent into the Reign of Terror with the more institutionally focused American and Glorious Revolutions — to argue that radical, disruptive change tends to produce instability rather than lasting reform, citing post-Arab Spring Libya and Egypt as modern cautionary examples. The article's central argument is that Bangladesh, which already has fragile but existing democratic structures, should pursue gradual, institution-strengthening reform rather than revolutionary upheaval. The author outlines a three-part framework for achieving this: grounding reform goals in practical feasibility, developing a clear social theory that resonates with citizens' real aspirations, and building a unifying social philosophy to guide long-term democratic progress.

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The Daily Star

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The Daily Star

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ark:/19160/si7plyo56lfbrzegwsh63fxl6yq

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