Interlinking Rule of Law and Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: Bangladesh in Context

Abstract

This paper fundamentally aims to understand the interlinkages between the rule of law and sustainable development in a developing country like Bangladesh. It attempts to reinforce the existing literature on the mutual interlinks between sustainable development and the rule of law by making a comparison among the indices and indicators that measure development and rule of law of countries. It also critically analyses the rule of law situation in Bangladesh and focuses on an ends-based rule-of-law reform framework to address inherent deficiencies. The paper argues that Bangladesh needs a holistic rule of law reform to promote an enabling environment for achieving high-income status; otherwise, the country may fall into a middle-income trap.

Dhaka University Law Journal, 2026, 37 (1), 133-156