Islamic NGOs in Bangladesh

Indigenization–internationalization debate and Bangladesh strategies in international social work and women’s development

“…Many Christian and Muslim NGOs worked in Bangladesh throughout the post-colonial era to provide social assistance to vulnerable populations, notably women and children (Clarke, 2008;Salehin, 2011;Thompson, 2012). According to a recent NGOAB report, of the 2530 registered NGOs, 28 are Christian and 27 are Islamic (NGOAB, 2021).…”

“…Secular NGOs with neoliberal and modernist goals have also been targeted for criticism. They are blamed for ignoring the role of religion in development (Thompson, 2012) and manipulating women's beliefs and modesty in the name of empowerment (Salehin, 2011).…”

“…Thus, in this dynamic setting, adapting to indigenous models rather than replicating standardized ones is a better option. However, there is a risk that indigenous social workers might exploit negative cultural norms such as excluding women from economic and social activities in the name of purdah or veiling for traditional modesty (Salehin, 2011). International social workers must address cultural misconceptions while enlisting the assistance of local resources.…”

Introduction: Ethnographic perspectives on the state in Bangladesh

“…15 There is comparatively much written on issues such as violent entrepreneurs or mastan- ism and its relation to party politics, patronage, and control of resources (e.g., Atkinson-Sheppard 2016; Jackman 2017; Ruud 2010), but little is known of other interactions with the police. Studies on the NGO sector, and more particularly micro-finance, have explored in detail how several programmes not only construct rural women as potential ‘entrepreneurs’ and failed market subjects along neoliberal ideas of self-reliance, but they also enforce different forms of control, ‘governmentalities’ and shape people’s subjectivities (e.g., Huang 2016; Karim 2011; Salehin 2016). Yet, there is much less literature on how changing government policies, regulations, or practices impact everyday lives of different people in Bangladesh.…”

Land, development and the political class: In a translocal ‘Londoni’ village

“…Although scholars have been keen to highlight the discursive and structural influence of transnational corporations and development nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in Bangladesh (Ahasan and Gardner 2016; Berger 2017; Hussain 2013; Karim 2011; Lewis 2011; Salehin 2016), there has been comparatively little interest in the role of transnational kin and village networks in shaping local-level polity in areas with high international migration and a consequent reliance on remittance-based patronage (cf. Gardner 1995; Gardner and Osella 2003).…”