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Changing Leadership and Rural Power Structure

L. Mozumdar
Department of Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

R.N. Ali
Department of Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

K.S. Farid
Department of Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

M.S. Kabir
Department of Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The present study attempts to assess the nature of changes occurred in the leadership pattern of rural power structure in Bangladesh. A complete household survey of Sutiakhali Namapara village in Sadar Upazila of Mymensingh district was undertaken to identify rural leaders. Among 92 households, a total of 18 leaders were identified by using the positional, the reputational, and the issue participation approach. The information about the changing aspects of rural power structure and the leadership pattern were collected by formal and informal interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), participant observation, and storytelling. Findings showed that majority of the leaders were young (55.56%), had no specific lineage status (38.89%) and most of them (38.89%) were businessmen. Education, personal qualities and affiliation with major political parties were more important factors influencing rural leadership. A remarkable change occurred in the power structure of rural Bangladesh during the last decade, more specifically from 2001 to 2007. Among the elites, the younger ones were dominating the villages, whereas, the older ones were losing the elite status, because of their lack of positional status and power. It also revealed that the rural leaders changed their policy to create and sustain power, such as building business associations, forming party networks involving with different government and non-government organizations and maintaining a good link with local Member of Parliament etc. Finally, it can be said that a significant change occurred in leadership pattern and power structure of rural Bangladesh.

Keywords: Power structure, Leadership, Lineage status, Personal qualities

Location: Sutiakhali Namapara village in Sadar Upazila of Mymensingh district

Start Date: 00-02-2008

End Date: 00-04-2008

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Analysis and interpretations

Objectives:

1. The present study was undertaken to indicate the process of change in the leadership pattern and to identify the nature of the changing categories of leadership in the rural power structure.

Methodology:

For the present study Sutiakhali Namapara village was selected randomly from purposively selected Sadar upazila of Mymensingh district. The study was based on a set of field level primary data collected from the respondents with the help of interview schedule. The data were collected during the period from February to April, 2008 in a regular basis by the researcher himself. The head of each household in the study village was the population of the present study. At the first stage, for the identification of rural leader a complete household survey of the village was conducted through a structured interview schedule and total 92 households were found in the study village. At the second stage, the rural leaders were identified by using the following three approaches: A. The positional approach This approach is used to identify those persons who hold some positions of authority and formal power in institutions and organizations of the community. Adopting the approach, 11 positional leaders were found in the study area. Among these positional leaders 2 were UP (Union Parishad) leaders, 4 were NGO leaders and 5 were institutional leaders. B. The reputational approach These leaders have had reputation but no formal position of authority, and they exerted enormous power and influence in village affairs. Seven (7) reputational leaders were identified in the study village by using this approach. They were informal party leaders and informal village leaders. C. The issue-participation approach This approach looks for those who participate in the decision-making of social issues. This approach firstly devoted to identify the issues of social significance and then to find out those persons who participate in those issues and makes decisions for the community. The researcher found that the reputational (7) and the positional (11) leaders participated in the village issues and tried to comprehend it to make a judgment. So, adopting these three approaches mentioned above total 18 leaders (11 positional leaders and 7 reputational leaders) was identified in the study area. At the third stage, another structured interview schedule was administered among the leaders identified through the household interview schedule. The interview schedule consists of the sections designed in the household interview schedule with an addition of some new sections. Both the qualitative and quantitative data were collected for the present study with the help of Interviewing (structured and semi-structured interview schedule), Focus Group Discussions (Key informants schedule), Participant observations (Researcher himself stayed at study village), and Storytelling and informal interviews. After collecting requisite data, they were edited and initially collected data in local units were converted into standard international units to improve their quality. Then the edited data were compiled, classified, tabulated and analyzed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). For analysis and presentation of data different statistical tools like percentages, ratios, mean, etc. were applied and for qualitative data other qualitative tools like weighted score and rank order also used. Tabular analyses of significant items have been depicted through charts because of their simplicity to use and understand. In the process of ranking three priorities were sorted for specific item in order of importance by asking the respondents of this study, and after giving weight score (3 for priority I, 2 for priority II, 1 for priority III) to each of the three priorities, the final rank order was drawn.

Source of Information: J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 6(2): 429–436, 2008; ISSN 1810-3030

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study found that the rural power structure and the pattern of leadership have undergone an important change -now it is not rigid as it was in the past. In the past it was dominated by institutions of lineage, Samaj and Union Parishad, and was anti poor – in all aspects it was rooted to patron clientelism. It also indicated that the traditional society represents leaders who were aged, illiterate or less educated landlords, members of influential gosthi, and their good economic standing was chiefly based on land. On the other hand leaders in recent times are younger in age, educated, members of non-influential gosthi, and they have good economic standing based on business and affiliated in the development programs and to implement these programs they maintained link with their higher ups and have had more personal qualities and they maintained a good link with major political parties. The traditional gosthi based leaderships were available during 1971- 1980 which got more flexibility during the last decade. The pattern of dependency of the poor on the power structure also changed considerably.

Knowledge Management: Journal