Administration and public policy

In the past decade, militant Hindu nationalism has emerged as a dominant political force in India, and it looks set to stay in the absence of a credible challenge from centrist and Left parties. The pursuit of an exclusivist agenda of ‘cultural nationalism’ (Hindutva) by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena, and an assortment of other groups, that comprise the Sangh Parivar’, is seen as a threat to India’s pluralist traditions.

The book is about the identity politics in a post-colonial society that motivated the Bengali Muslims to participate in Bangladesh’s independence movement. Its approach is a major departure from the traditional analysis which tends to suggest that nationalist movement is a non contradictory political movement. To the contrary, the book argues, like all other social movements, the nationalist movement responds to restructuring the power relation in a society.

This book is the result of an empirical study aimed at analysing the results of the three parliamentary elections hold in Bangladesh under caretaker administrations since 1991, with special emphasis on the October 2001 election. It carries out an objective analysis of various aspects of the election including possible determinants of party performance and voter turnout and the impact of rebel candidates and other contextual variables on the outcome of the election. To-date, no study has been undertaken to offer an objective analysis of the election results.

The varieties, complexities and pervasiveness of development problems in an agrarian and poverty stricken country like Bangladesh are most acutely felt in the life of women, Due to the special nature of the economy and socio-cultural pattern, their participation is not visible, contribution not recognized and critical needs and issues are overlooked. The present study reviews women in development and policy in Bangladesh and reveals the existence of an undesirable but persistent pattern of exclusion of women from development activities.