Podcast Examines Student Movement in Bangladesh

In the Feb. 17 episode of the Entitled Podcast, Tom Ginsburg and Claudia Flores speak with human rights advocate Rafia Khondoker about the state of women’s rights and democratic freedoms in Bangladesh. On Feb. 13, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a landslide victory in the first national election since the student-led protest movement of 2024, which successfully ended the 15-year reign of autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina. This recent election resulted in the approval, via referendum, of major constitutional reforms seeking to strengthen judiciary independence, safeguard democracy and increase women's participation in politics. These reforms are known as the “July Charter,” a reference to the uprisings, which took place in July 2024. 

Drawing on her on-the-ground experience as a Gen-Z organizer, Khondoker describes the grassroots push for civil and political rights in 2024 and shares her vision for a democratic Bangladesh. She explains how formal legal protections can coexist with systemic barriers that limit meaningful access to justice for women and marginalized groups, and she emphasizes her communities’ commitment to continued organization in the name of democracy and political participation for all Bangladeshis. 

The Entitled Podcast is hosted by Professor Claudia Flores, Co-Director of the Schell Center for International Human Rights at Yale Law School, and Tom Ginsburg, Professor of International Law at UChicago Law School. The podcast explores topics in human rights law, theory, and advocacy.

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