The Student Movement that Pushed for Change in Bangladesh

On this episode of Entitled, Tom and Claudia talk with human rights advocate Rafia Khondoker  about the state of women’s rights and democratic freedoms in Bangladesh. Last week, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a landslide victory in the first national election since the 2024 uprising, approving a referendum on major constitutional reforms—the "July Charter"—seeking to strengthen judiciary independence, safeguard democracy and increase women's participation in politics.

Drawing on her legal training and on-the-ground experience, Khondoker unpacks the gap between constitutional promises and lived realities. She explains how formal legal protections can coexist with systemic barriers—political pressure, social norms, and institutional weaknesses—that limit meaningful access to justice for women and marginalized communities.

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