Transition of Rural Leadership in Bangladesh

Abstract

This paper attempts to assess the nature of changes occurred in the leadership pattern of rural power structure in Bangladesh following a longitudinal study. This inquiry tries to explore the changing pattern of rural leadership between 1990s and 2020s. In perspective of the inevitability of change, we see the variability in rural leadership. In accordance with this, research has been done selecting a union of Dhamrai Upazila in Bangladesh and the variability of rural leadership has been observed. In this study,  questionnaire survey and observation method has been used as method of data collection. The empirical evidence reveals that rural power structure is changing and rural leaderships are in transition. The enlargement of nonagricultural economy, the spread of national politics, expansion of NGO activities, expansion of education, impact of the urbanization, expansion of state activities, reduction of patron-client relation, modernization of agriculture, social change are the reasons for changes in rural leadership. Finally, at the present rural society, emerging modern leadership is seen instead of traditional leadership.