Changing leadership and rural power structure

Ks Farid,L Mozumdar,Ms Kabir,Rn Ali

doi:10.3329/jbau.v6i2.4844

Ks Farid, L Mozumdar + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v6i2.4844

Copy DOI

Abstract

The present study attempts to assess the nature of changes occurred in the leadership pattern of rural power structure in Bangladesh. A complete household survey of Sutiakhali Namapara village in Sadar Upazila of Mymensingh district was undertaken to identify rural leaders. Among 92 households, a total of 18 leaders were identified by using the positional, the reputational, and the issue participation approach. The information about the changing aspects of rural power structure and the leadership pattern were collected by formal and informal interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), participant observation, and storytelling. Findings showed that majority of the leaders were young (55.56%), had no specific lineage status (38.89%) and most of them (38.89%) were businessmen. Education, personal qualities and affiliation with major political parties were more important factors influencing rural leadership. A remarkable change occurred in the power structure of rural Bangladesh during the last decade, more specifically from 2001 to 2007. Among the elites, the younger ones were dominating the villages, whereas, the older ones were losing the elite status, because of their lack of positional status and power. It also revealed that the rural leaders changed their policy to create and sustain power, such as building business associations, forming party networks involving with different government and non-government organizations and maintaining a good link with local Member of Parliament etc. Finally, it can be said that a significant change occurred in leadership pattern and power structure of rural Bangladesh. Keywords: Power structure; Leadership; Lineage status; Personal qualities DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v6i2.4844 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 6(2): 429-436, 2008

Highlights

The present history of Bangladesh possesses a number of challenges to the traditional understanding of rural political change
There is an important reason why a study of the changing rural power structure promises to be illuminating towards an understanding of political change at the local level (Rahman 2002).Understanding the potential of the rural power structure is a key analytical, and political, imperative towards the goal of democratization of Bangladesh society
The crucial insights and findings that emerged from this study are quite surprising in the context of local power structure and village politics in Bangladesh

Summary

Introduction

The present history of Bangladesh possesses a number of challenges to the traditional understanding of rural political change. A. Gramsci’s (1988) ideas about power emphasized its influence as a totalizing force-hegemony-which allowed the state and/or a popular majority to dominate society through a pervasive institutional power, thereby repressing citizens who may hold alternative or contradictory opinions about state actions. This has led some researchers to focus on social movements and other forms of collective action or resistance. Power is not embedded in structural relations, but is constituted through language and through everyday practices This latter idea has been elaborated by P. This latter idea has been elaborated by P. Bourdieu (1989), who has placed an emphasis the importance of ‘symbolic power’

Methods

Results

Conclusion