A government does not become weak only when its parliamentary majority decreases, the opposition gets stronger, or a significant movement starts on the streets. The weakness of a government can begin much earlier—in the market, police stations, hospitals, roads, banks, government offices, the job market, and in the monthly balance sheets of ordinary people's families. In the language of political science, a government's power is not measured solely by its capacity to exert force; rather, its real strength is understood by how efficiently it can enforce laws, provide services, manage the economy, control crime, and maintain the trust of its citizens.

In a densely populated, youthful, and rapidly changing country like Bangladesh, this matter is even more important. Here, people feel the presence of the government every day. Whether electricity is available, whether medical treatment is accessible in hospitals, whether it is safe to move on roads, whether commodity prices are within reach, whether tasks at passport or land offices can be done without bribery—these are all measures of government effectiveness to the ordinary public.

The World Bank, in a recent assessment of Bangladesh, has also identified the importance of enhancing the capacities of public institutions, revenue collection, public procurement, information systems, audit, and public investment management to increase economic growth and citizen confidence.