1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910564699103321

Autore

Hashmi Taj

Titolo

Fifty Years of Bangladesh, 1971-2021 : Crises of Culture, Development, Governance, and Identity / / by Taj Hashmi

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Palgrave Macmillan, , 2022

ISBN

9783030971588

3030971589

Edizione

[1st ed. 2022.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (396 pages)

Disciplina

954.92

954.9205

Soggetti

Political sociology

Asia - History

Asia - Politics and government

Economic development

Political Sociology

History of South Asia

Asian Politics

Development Studies

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di contenuto

1. Introduction -- 2. Why Bangladesh? A Pre-History up to the Rise of Mujib, 1757-1963 -- 3. The Rise of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 1963-1971 -- 4. The Decline and Fall of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,1971-1975 -- 5.Trial and Error, Hope and Despair: Bangladesh Under Zia and Ershad, 1975-1990 -- 6. "Dynastic Democracy" Under the "Battling Begums",1991-2021 -- 7. Problematic Integration of Minorities: A Case Study of Bihari Muslims -- 8. The Crisis of Identity: Bengali, Islamic, or Islamist Extremism? -- 9. "Culture Matters": Towards Understanding the Crisis of Culture in Bangladesh -- 10. Conclusions.

Sommario/riassunto

This book, the first historical sociology of its kind concerning Bangladesh, examines the country's what-went-wrong-syndrome during the first fifty years of its existence, 1971-2021. The work is an



exception to the traditional studies on modern and contemporary Bangladesh. The study is also a post-history of united Pakistan. Busting several myths, it sheds light on many known and unknown facts about the history, politics, society, and culture of the country. Besides being a twice-born country - liberated twice, from the British in 1947 and from West Pakistanis in 1971 - it is also an artificial entity suffering from acute crises of culture, development, governance, and identity. Hashmi attributes the culture and identity crises to the demographic byproducts of bad governance. In addition to being overpopulated, Bangladesh is also resource-poor and has one of the most unskilled populations, largely lumpen elements and peasants. According to Marx, these peoplerepresent "the unchanging remnants of the past". The second round of independence empowered these lumpen classes, who suffer from an identity crisis and never learn the art of governance. The proliferation of pseudo-history about liberation has further divided the polity between the two warring tribes who only glorify their respective idols, Mujib and Zia. Pre-political and pre-capitalist peasants' / lumpen elements' lack of mutual trust and respect have further plagued Bangladesh, turning it into one of the least governable, corrupt, and inefficient countries. It is essential to replace the pre-capitalist order of the country run by multiple lumpen classes with capitalist and inclusive institutions. Taj Hashmi is retired Professor of History and Security Studies at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), USA. .