Young artists are transforming Dhaka’s streets into a canvas of resistance. I finally met some of them at a vibrant UNDP workshop “Artivism for Peace,” organized with the youth-led Kashful Foundation under the “Partnerships for a More Tolerant, Inclusive Bangladesh” initiative. Here, the artists painted a Collaborative Peace Mural, a powerful tribute to their commitment to promoting tolerance, harmony, and justice in Bangladesh 2.0.

This is my fourth time in Bangladesh as part of UNDP’s surge mission, but it feels profoundly different. The air here is thick with both the promise of transformation and the weight of the unknown. The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, is at a crossroads. Restoring order, rebuilding public trust, preparing new elections, and addressing human rights abuses are no small tasks. The road ahead is steep and fraught with obstacles like youth unemployment, the Rohingya crisis, violent extremism risks, and disastrous displays of climate change. Severe flash floods and monsoons have been plaguing Bangladesh, affecting millions of people.

Since the interim government was formed two months ago, six national commissions have taken on the daunting task of reform, focusing on the constitution, judiciary, police, public administration, corruption, and election integrity. The timeframe is tight, and the society is deeply divided. The scars run deep on all sides. The interim government estimates that over 800 young lives were lost in the protests. More than 40 police officers also fell. Ongoing investigations by the UN and a National Commission of Inquiry probe the violations during the demonstrations and disappearances of the past 15 years. Justice and accountability are crucial. New policies and laws are needed. And more than that, the reforms must restore a fractured bond between the state and the people.