Rule of law key to public trust

Citizens’ trust in the state declines when they do not receive equal protection under the law and the rule of law is not properly enforced, said Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

He said the legitimacy of a country’s democratic system, the rule of law and the quality of public services are closely linked to building public trust.

” If citizens do not receive equal protection under the law, their trust in the state declines,” Debapriya said.

He made the remarks at a discussion titled “The Democracy Conversation: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Polarization” at the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026 in Dhaka yesterday.

Debapriya said the rule of law is not merely about having laws or enforcing them; it is also about ensuring that citizens receive equal treatment and protection from the state.

He said public trust also weakens when the state fails to provide essential services, including security, healthcare, education and environmental protection.

“Ensuring basic services such as security, healthcare, education and environmental protection is an important responsibility of the state,” he said, adding that failure to provide these services properly weakens the relationship between citizens and the state.

Debapriya said trust is important across society, the economy and communications, while a strong relationship of trust between citizens and the state is essential for a country’s economic and social progress.

He also highlighted a broader global crisis of trust, saying political polarisation is increasing in many countries while public confidence in institutions is declining.

He said the erosion of trust is also affecting democratic institutions around the world.

The discussion was attended by Shruti S Patnaik, a research fellow at India’s Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses; former Mali prime minister Moussa Mara; former Latvian parliament member Sergejs Potapins; former Malaysian minister Dzuraida Kamaruddin; and Nepali journalist Bishwas Baral.