Suchergebnisse

Weak governance as a result of clientelist practice is often considered as the single-most important factor behind the growing inequality and persistent poverty in Bangladesh. Using a rights-based approach (RBA), this article examines regional disparity, central–local relations and the scope for peoples' participation under the existing rules and practices. It also sheds light on the cultural aspects of governance constituted of trust, social solidarity and institutional connectivity using an empirical data set generated from a census of six villages in Bangladesh backed by a triangulation of the qualitative and quantitative research tools. It has demonstrated that the rising inter- and intra-regional inequality is an outcome of inequitable distribution of public goods and services confirming the clientelist syndrome of the government. Further, excessive control by the national government impedes innovation and efficient delivery of services by the local bodies, which ultimately hampers pro-poor growth. One of the most important findings of this study is the emergence of the school as the most trusted institution in the village. On the basis of the study, it can also be argued that social capital does not always lead to a positive-sum outcome, rather it can be turned to a zero-sum game depending on the socio-cultural contexts and other factors such as the overall level of literacy of the villagers, strong networks both within and outside the village among other factors.

Bangladesh inherited disputed border relation with India as a legacy of the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. Apart from historic fallacies rooted in the religious basis of drawing the border which was impossible to achieve, the two countries are heavily motivated politically. Indian government branded all sorts of cross-border migration as illegal and Bangladeshi government refuses to acknowledge illegal movements by Bangladeshi nationals. Drawing from available sources predominantly emanating from India which are largely based on educated guess and often politically biased, the paper examines critically problems associated with fluid, fragile and contentious border, lack of reliable data and migration management problems. It also examines the causes and consequences of transnational migration and documents how economies and lives of millions on both sides of the borderland depend on such migration, trade and smuggling. It argues that no barbed wire and draconian legal measures so far could stop cross-border population movements. Given the economic bottom-line, political sensitivity, cultural and socioreligious complications, Sylhet broder should be opened up for trade links and communication channels for Bangladesh and Indian North-Eastern states. This may provide Bangladesh an opportunity to make-up for the unfavourable trade balance with India, and help India to facilitate development in that part of the country which may in turn help reduce the separatist movements.

The author focuses on the achievement versus ascription debate that cropped up as an impact of an action research project conducted by the erstwhile National Foundation For Research on Human Resource Development during 1981-83 with three urban poor women in two slum areas of Dhaka city. The purpose of this study is to assess if any change occured in restructuring gender role as an outcome of this project. (DÜI-Sen)

This work narrates how opportunities and challenges of rapid urbanisation in Dhaka are translated into realising dreams of better lives and livelihoods, and prospects for a shared future for city dwellers - poor/non-poor, men/women, young/old, migrant/non-migrant.