Conflict Analysis of Bangladesh

Abstract

This helpdesk report examines the root causes and dynamics of conflict and (in)stability in Bangladesh. The report finds that Bangladesh has a violent political culture, and has experienced widespread political violence, especially around elections – this is a feature of its increasingly authoritarian democracy. Bangladesh is generally heralded as an economic development success story, compared to most other South Asian economies. Its economic performance is ‘quite strong’ with growth of 6.3% per year since 2007. Social, ethnic and religious conflicts have flared when exploited for political purposes, but are mostly latent. Conflict and (in)stability causes and actors in Bangladesh include the following: social cleavages, environmental challenges, economic challenges and governance, political challenges – elections, political violence, and party politics, political settlement, justice and corruption, the Rohingya crisis, extremism, the Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict and the Bangladesh-India border.