National Security and Law Enforcement: Challenges to Democratic Governance
12 January 2026 |
Press Release
12 January 2026
“National Security and Law Enforcement: Challenges to Democratic Governance”
— Speakers at the CGS Policy Dialogue
The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) organized a policy dialogue titled “National Security and Law Enforcement: Challenges to Democratic Governance”The discussion was held on Monday, 12 January 2026, at the CIRDAP Auditorium (Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific) in Dhaka. Political leaders, representatives of civil society, academics, lawyers, and human rights activists participated in the dialogue. The discussion focused on the exercise of state power in the name of national security and law enforcement, the challenges to democratic governance, the protection of citizens’ rights, and the role and accountability of law enforcement agencies in the context of national elections.
The speakers at the event included former Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, retired army officer Lieutenant Colonel U Kan Thein, President of Gano ForumAdvocate Subrata Chowdhury, Organizer of NoitikSamaj BangladeshMajor General (Retd.) Amsa Amin, Professor of the Department of International Relations at Jahangirnagar UniversityDr. Ali Akbar, freedom fighter, writer, and researcher Major (Retd.) A S M Shamsul Arefin, former State Minister for Education Golam Sarwar Milon, Secretary General of Jatiya PartyBarrister Shameem Haider Patwary, Joint Secretary General of Khelafat MajlisProfessor Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Faisal, political analyst and Adjunct Faculty Member at Independent University, BangladeshZahed Ur Rahman, Presidium Member of JatiyaSamajtantrik Dal (Jasad)Dr. Mushtaq Hossain, lawyer Barrister Mohammad Ali, Member of the Advisory Council to the BNP Chairperson and former Member of Parliament Zahir Uddin Swapan, former IGP Professor Dr. Enamul Haque, former State Minister and Professor Dr. Abu Sayeed, retired Major General Monirul Islam Akand, and university teacher and politician Musharraf Ahmed Thakur, among others.
At the beginning of the programme, CGS President Zillur Rahman stated that
Former Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad spoke at the event.
Retired army officer Lieutenant Colonel U Kan Thein spoke at the event.
President of Gano Forum Advocate Subrata Chowdhury spoke at the event.
Organizer of NoitikSamaj Bangladesh Major General (Retd.) Amsa Amin spoke at the event.
Professor of the Department of International Relations at Jahangirnagar University Dr. Ali Akbar spoke at the event.
Freedom fighter, writer, and researcher Major (Retd.) A S M Shamsul Arefin spoke at the event.
Former State Minister for Education Golam Sarwar Milon spoke at the event.
Secretary General of Jatiya Party Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary spoke at the event.
Joint Secretary General of Khelafat Majlis Professor Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Faisal spoke at the event.
Political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman spoke at the event.
Presidium Member of JasadDr. Mushtaq Hossain spoke at the event.
Lawyer Barrister Mohammad Ali spoke at the event.
Former Member of Parliament Zahir Uddin Swapan spoke at the event.
Former IGP Professor Dr. Enamul Haque spoke at the event.
Retired Major General Monirul Islam Akand spoke at the event.
University teacher and politician Musharraf Ahmed Thakur spoke at the event.
The program was moderated by Zillur Rahman, President of the Centre for Governance Studies.
About Centre for Governance Studies-
CGS is a think tank based in Bangladesh conducting research and media studies on issues of Good Governance, Corruption, Human Rights, Democracy, and Development. The Centre was established to address the challenges for Bangladesh in coping with the rapidly changing national and global scenarios. The Centre aims at facilitating collaborative efforts among the academic community, government, private sector, civil society and development partners to improve the quality of governance, address the security needs of Bangladesh, foster the conditions for efficient and prudent utilisation of available resources towards poverty reduction, human resource development, and stabilisation of political and social order through increased democratisation, participation and sustainable economic development.
For more queries-
Sanjoy Debnath
Public Relations Coordinator
Centre for Governance Studies
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