Development Without Inclusion? Investigating Social Exclusion in Bangladesh’s Rural Transformation

Abstract

Although Bangladesh has made a great progress in rural development, women belonging to marginalized groups are systematically locked out of the opportunities of participating in rural development initiatives. The qualitative case study examines the experience of rural women in the Moulvibazar district in social exclusion due to state-led and NGO-based development programs. The study uses the thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 15 women who have been identified using purposive sampling to investigate perceptions, barriers, and gendered nature of participation. The results indicate three themes that are interconnected: a low level of awareness and a deficiency of agency; tokenism in terms of attending the community meetings; and the structural impediments that are based on the patriarchal norms, domestic work requirements, and stigmatization. Although women tend to be updated on development activities, they are treated as peripheral and performative participants in the process, which discredits the ideals of participatory governance. The paper uses social exclusion and intersectionality theories to discuss how the combination of gender, marital status and economic marginalization increases the disempowerment of women. It is recommended that inclusive communication strategies, women-centered consultation places, and intersectional training of development practitioners are needed. This evidence highlights the importance of structural change and the centralization of the voices and agency of the historically marginalized people in the context of equitable rural development as opposed to mere service delivery. This study adds to the debate on gender justice, rural change and inclusive policy making in South Asia.