This article examines police reform undertaken in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s Monsoon Revolution of 2024. Drawing on 20 semi-structured interviews with law enforcement officials, legal professionals, journalists, civil society actors and academics, the article analyses policing practices before, during and after the uprising. The findings show that policing during the uprising largely reflected entrenched authoritarian practices, including excessive use of force, politicisation and systematic human rights violations, rather than a temporary institutional breakdown. While the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus articulated a reform agenda and established a Police Reform Commission, initiatives remained constrained by structural legacies, weak accountability mechanisms and limited political consensus. These initiatives for reforms signal intent but ultimately fall short of substantive democratic transformation, highlighting the lack of democratic policing in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is a religiously diverse society where faith remains deeply embedded in everyday social life. At the community level, religious leaders continue to hold moral influence and are often trusted figures in times of tension and conflict. This article examines two interconnected roles of religious leaders in Bangladesh: interfaith dialogue and local conflict resolution. Based on qualitative interviews with 30 religious leaders from different regions, the article explores how religious leaders mediate disputes, ease communal tensions and promote social harmony in contexts shaped by political competition, social inequality and religious diversity. The findings show that religious leaders act as informal peacebuilders, stepping in where formal institutions are weak or distrusted. Their mediation is grounded in cultural legitimacy and moral authority, which allows them to resolve conflicts in ways that are locally accepted. However, their role is increasingly under pressure. Politicisation, security threats, unequal power relations and the growing impact of digital media are limiting the independence and effectiveness of religious leaders, pushing them to the margins of the conflict management process.
Launda naach is a unique and deeply embedded folk tradition originating from Bhojpuri-speaking regions of India, particularly in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The term ‘ launda ’ means a young boy in Bhojpuri and Hindi. Launda naach is performed by young men belonging to lower-caste and class groups, who wear women’s clothes for their performance. Historically, this dance form has been an essential part of community celebrations in this region, especially for weddings and festivals. It expresses stories of marginality and inequality, foregrounding women’s and migrants’ voices and unsettling hierarchies of gender, caste and class. With the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh in India as its site, this article critically comments on this rooted legacy of launda naach as a form of resistance against caste and class inequality in the context of not only the district but also the wider region of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The article also discusses the social stigmatisation faced by launda naach dancers due to their gender performativity.
