As women in Bangladesh keep pushing their spaces in society through economic contribution, Naila Kabeer, a professor at the United Kingdom-based London School of Economics and Political Science, expects that the country will not backtrack amid the new political scenario.
Delivering a public lecture in Dhaka city on her latest title 鈥楻enegotiating patriarchy: gender, agency and the Bangladesh Paradox鈥�, Naila discussed how social norms shifted allowing education and employment opportunities for women.
The Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies organised the lecture session at its auditorium.
In her new book, Naila pointed out a decline in fertility in Bangladesh with typical preference for sons sees a waning trend amid many parents becoming satisfied with daughters, observing that educated and earning women, like men, were able to take care of their aged parents.
The term 鈥楤angladesh paradox鈥� refers to the surprising social progress Bangladesh has achieved in recent decades, marked by advancements that are both pro-poor and gender equitable. This transformation began during a period when the country faced severe poverty, weak governance, entrenched patriarchy, and growing Islamic orthodoxy.
The book delves into the history of the Bengal delta and the societal dynamics that shaped Bangladesh at the time of its independence. It examines the policies and politics that defined the post-independence era and how these factors contributed to the remarkable progress encapsulated in the concept of the Bangladesh paradox.
While discussing her book, Naila recalled that Bangladeshis were only regarded as a paradox because they did not conform to the Western understanding of economic growth, modernisation and demographic transition.
The central argument of the book, however, highlights the pivotal role of ordinary, often impoverished women, whose actions in their daily lives were instrumental in driving progress even at the grassroots.
According to Naila鈥檚 research, social progress, including progress on gender equality, began and gained momentum in the country even though a particularly orthodox version of Islam also gathered momentum.
Gender relations underwent a change led by women who wanted to challenge injustice in the existing patriarchal structure and create more democratic relations within family and society, she said, explaining how women renegotiated patriarchy instead of overthrowing it.
Chairing the lecture session, BIDS director general Binayak Sen said that historically Bangladesh had been hosting a very heterogeneous society. 鈥楬ence, democracy is the fundamental need of the country. The government in the future must uphold this and protect the women from backtracking,鈥� he said.
Women鈥檚 Affairs Reform Commission chief Shireen Parveen Huq, BIDS Graduate School of Economics director Sultan Hafeez Rahman,聽 Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir, Concordia University鈥檚 economics Emeritus Professor Syed M Ahsan, BIDS research fellows Jinnat Ara and Mohammad Golam Nabi Mozumder, among others, were present at the event.