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Chapter 20 - Shaping a Political System

from Part V - Independent Bangladesh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2021

Willem van Schendel
Willem van Schendel
Affiliation:
Universiteit van Amsterdam
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Summary

Bangladesh was under military rule from 1975 to 1990 when a popular uprising toppled the dictator and restored parliamentary democracy. Since then elections have been held regularly and the political system has been dominated by two parties with charismatic leaders. Despite recurring elections, however, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is not democratically ruled. The power elite of this society of 170 million people is remarkably small and surprisingly connected by family ties, even across party lines. Each time, a tight-knit coterie of familiar power holders comes out on top.

Keywords

Military ruledictatorshipparliamentary democracypolitical systemauthoritarianism
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Chapter
Information
A History of Bangladesh , pp. 219 - 230
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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