The July Uprising of 2024 in Bangladesh represents a critical juncture in the nation’s political trajectory, highlighting both the deep-rooted failures of governance and the emergence of new forms of collective resistance. The uprising was driven largely by youth and student mobilization. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating survey data, expert interviews, and secondary sources, to examine how quota reform protests evolved into a strong regime-change movement and how these structural dysfunctions eroded state legitimacy and fuelled widespread civic activism. The findings indicate that while the uprising challenged existing power structures and created space for new narratives of participation, resistance, and national identity, it did not constitute a revolutionary paradigm shift in the governance system. Rather, it reflected societal responses to accumulated governance failures, highlighting both the limitations and transformative potential of collective action. Therefore, offering both conceptual clarity and policy relevance, this volume contributes to scholarship on governance, political change, and social movements in South Asia. It serves as a valuable resource for academics, students, and policymakers seeking to understand how institutional erosion can precipitate political instability.

Muhammad Sayadur Rahman is Professor of Public Administration at Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He earned his PhD from Heidelberg University, Germany. Over the past 23 years of involvement in academic and research work, he has written several books, book chapters, and research articles. His research articles have been published in different refereed national and international journals. His research interests center on politics-bureaucracy relations, administrative theories, local governance and development, Public Policy and governance, and public health.

Khadiza Akter Mim is currently a freelance researcher. She received her B.S.S. (Hons) and Master’s degree from the Department of Public Administration at Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her areas of interest are Bureaucracy, Democratic governance, and public policy.