Decaying Rural Power Structure in Bangladesh: An Observation on the Political Institutions of Sherpur Upazila
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18034/ajhal.v9i1.640Keywords:
Rural Power Structure, Rural Leadership, Shalish, Gram Samaj, Rural AutonomyAbstract
It is pretty foolish not to expect any changes in society. In dynamic, all the dimensions of society undergo substantial changes over time. The determiner of these changes is plentiful from the time itself to every sing aspect of human behavior along with the societal, political, economic, and natural components that influence the change. Through this inevitable process, the rural power structure, which was traditional and tribal, has gone through many transitional periods and has now started to take a new shape. By using a qualitative technique and studying an Upazila in Bangladesh, this study can suggest that the rural power structure, which is predominantly autonomic, has lost its self-reliance due to financial dependence on the central government. In addition, the growth of partisan politics in rural societies has created a situation in which it is nearly impossible to differentiate between local and national policies. This is a consequence of the problem created by the rise of partisan politics because partisan politics in rural societies have intensified since their inception. Clientelist politics has taken a firm shape in every allocation of values in an agrarian society. Political and judicial institutions like the Shalish and Gram Samaj have almost disappeared or transformed upside-down. Growing disbelief of the residents, dysfunctional institutions, and politically backed rural leaders have failed to win the faith of the majority of the society, clearly indicating a decaying rustic power structure.
Metrics
Downloads
References
Alim, M. A. (2004). Shalish and the role of BRAC’s federation: Improving the poor access to justice. Unpublished MA thesis: Graduate school of Development Studies, The Hague.
Anam, A. S. M. T. and Sayadur, M. (2015). Party line election at local government: A review of municipal election 2015 in Bangladesh. The Journal of Local Government, 41(2), p.34
Barman, D. C. (1988). Emerging leadership patterns in rural Bangladesh: A study. Centre for Social Studies: Dhaka.
Bertocci, P. J. (1980). Models of solidarity, the structure of power: The politics of community in Rural Bangladesh' in ideology and interest: The dialectics of politics. (Political Anthropology year book 11), New Brunswick, Transaction Books.
BRAC. (1982). The Net: Power Structure in Ten Villages, Dhaka.
Habib, A. and Mizan, S. A. S. (2016). The current notion of the rural power structure: An analysis of Bangladesh village. Asian Studies, Jahangirnagar University Journal of Government and Politics, No.35, p136.
Habibullah, M. (2017). The changing pattern of voting behavior in rural Bangladesh, Bangladesher Songskriti O Songskribidda. The Culture and the Cultural Study of Bangladesh, 16, 160-168.
Habibullah, M. (2020). The election of the local government bodies with party identity: Bangladesh perspective. Journal of governance and innovation, vi(01), p.14.
Hoque, M. R. and Zarif, M., Mustaqim, M. (2019). Traditional Shalish system for rural dispute resolution in Bangladesh: An analytical study of its structure and operational mechanism, IIUC Studies, 16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v16i0.50136
Islam, A. K. M. A. (1974). A Bangladesh village: Conflict and Cohesion. Cambridge: Schekman Publishing Company, 105-112.
Islam, S. (2003), Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. In S. Islam and S. Miah (ed.), Banglapedia, Dhaka: Asitic Society of Bangladesh.
Islam, Z. (2009). Strengthening State-led-rural justice in Bangladesh: Views from the bottom, CCB foundation: Dhaka.
Jahangir, B. K. (1982). Rural society, power structure and class practice. Centre for social studies: Dhaka.
Karim, A. H. M. Z. (1990). The pattern of rural leadership in an agrirain society-A case study of the changing power structure in Bangladesh. 66-91, Northern Book Centre, New Delhi.
Kirsten, W. and Hossain, A. (2005). Boringram Revisited-Persistent power structure and agricultural growth in Bangladesh village. The University Press Limited, Dhaka.
Lewis, D, and Hossain, A. (2017). Revisiting the local power structure in Bangladesh: Economic gain, political pain?, SIDA: Sweden.
Lewis, D. (2008). Beyond “the net”? The changing rural power structure in Bangladesh. In: Gellner, David and Hachhethu, Krishna, (eds.) Local democracy in South Asia: microprocesses of democratization in Nepal and its neighbours. Governance, Conflict and Civic Action (1). Sage Publications, New Delhi, India.
Lewis, D. and Hossain, A. (2019). Local Political Consolidation in Bangladesh: Power, Informality and Patronage. Development and Change, 53(2), 356-375. https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12534
Mozumdar, L., Ali, R. N., Farid, K. S. and Kabir, M. S. (2008). Changing leadership and rural power structure. J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 6(2), 429–436. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v6i2.4844
Rahman, A. (1981). Rural power structure: A study of the local level leaders in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Books International: Dhaka.
Rahman, T. M. T. and Habibullah, M. (2015). The pattern of influence of political parties on the local self-government in Bangladesh: Some policy suggestions. LokProshasonSamoeeky-Quarterly Journal of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Dhaka: BPATC.
Rumy, S. N. A. (1985). Rural Elites and their role in rural development: A case study in Kustia District. An unpublished M.philtheis, Rajshahi University: IBS.
Seraj, K. (2015). Gomer Bostai Gonotontro Bondi Korar Prorochona [Deception of making democracy Captive in the Sack of Wheat]. Bangladesh Protidin (Print version), November 1.
Siddiqui, K. (2000). Jagatpur 1977-97 Poverty and social change in Rural Bangladesh, 256-257, University Press Limited: Dhaka.
--0--
