Bangladesh, July 8 -- Syria today stands on the cusp of a transformative chapter in its modern history. After more than a decade of civil war, devastation, and isolation, the country has officially turned the page on the Bashar al-Assad era. Over seven months since Assads ousting, the swearing-in of President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and a transitional government marks a symbolic and potentially substantive break from decades of authoritarian rule. But amid regional enthusiasm and cautious international engagement, the fundamental question remains: Will this moment be one of genuine reform, or merely a cosmetic change cloaked in the language of progress?

The transitional government, formed under the auspices of a fragile but historic political co...