arXiv subjects

Hossain Ahmed Taufiq

Publications and source records attributed to Hossain Ahmed Taufiq.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Role of NGOs in fostering equity and social inclusion in cities of Bangladesh: The Case of Dhaka

Non-governmental organisations have made a significant contribution in the development of Bangladesh. Today, Bangladesh has more than 2000 NGOs, and few of them are among the largest in the world. NGOs are claimed to have impacts on the sustainable development in Bangladesh. However, to what extent they have fostered equity and social inclusion in the urban cities of Bangladesh remains a subject of thorough examination. The 11th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) advocates for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Bangladesh which is the most densely populated country in the world faces multifaceted urbanization challenges. The capital city Dhaka itself has experienced staggering population growth in last few decades. Today, Dhaka has become one of the fastest growing megacities in the world. Dhaka started its journey with a manageable population of 2.2 million in 1975 which now reached 14.54 million. The growth rate averaged 6 per cent each year. As this rapid growth of Dhaka City is not commensurate with its industrial development, a significant portion of its population is living in informal settlements or slums where they experience the highest level of poverty and vulnerability. Many NGOs have taken either concerted or individual efforts to address socio-economic challenges in the city. Earlier results suggest that programs undertaken by NGOs have shown potential to positively contribute to fostering equity and reducing social exclusion. This paper, attempts to explore what types of relevant NGO programs are currently in place taking the case of Dhaka city.

econ.GN↗

arXiv2021

China, India, Myanmar: Playing Rohingya Roulette

The 2017 crackdown on Rakhine Rohingyas by the Myanmar army (Tatmadaw) pushed more than 600,000 refugees into Bangladesh. Both Western and Islamic countries denounced Aung Sang Suu Kyis government, but both Asian giants, China and India, supported Myanmars actions. Both also have high stakes in Myanmar given their long-term geopolitics and geoeconomic South and Southeast Asian plans. In spite of Myanmar-based commonalities, Chinas and Indias approaches differ significantly, predicting equally dissimilar outcomes. This chapter examines their foreign policy and stakes in Myanmar in order to draw a sketch of the future of Rakhine Rohingyas stuck in Bangladesh.

econ.GN↗

arXiv2021

Towards an enabling environment for social accountability in Bangladesh

Social accountability refers to promoting good governance by making ruling elites more responsive. In Bangladesh, where bureaucracy and legislature operate with little effective accountability or checks and balances, traditional horizontal or vertical accountability proved to be very blunt and weak. In the presence of such faulty mechanisms, ordinary citizens access to information is frequently denied, and their voices are kept mute. It impasses the formation of an enabling environment, where activists and civil society institutions representing the ordinary peoples interest are actively discouraged. They become vulnerable to retribution. Social accountability, on the other hand, provides an enabling environment for activists and civil society institutions to operate freely. Thus, leaders and administration become more accountable to people. An enabling environment means providing legal protection, enhancing the availability of information and increasing citizen voice, strengthening institutional and public service capacities and directing incentives that foster accountability. Donors allocate significant shares of resources to encouraging civil society to partner with elites rather than holding them accountable. This paper advocate for a stronger legal environment to protect critical civil society and whistle-blowers, and for independent grant-makers tasked with building strong, self-regulating social accountability institutions. Key Words: Accountability, Legal Protection, Efficiency, Civil Society, Responsiveness

econ.GN↗

arXiv2021

Dhaka Water-logging: Causes, Effects and Remedial Policy Options

Water-logging is a major challenge for Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. The rapid, unregulated, and unplanned urbanization, as well as detrimental social, economic, infrastructural, and environmental consequences, not to mention diseases like dengue, challenge the several crash programs combating water-logging in the city. This study provides a brief contextual analysis of the Dhakas topography and natural, as well as storm water drainage systems, before concentrating on the man-made causes and effects of water-logging, ultimately exploring a few remedial measures.

econ.GN↗

arXiv2021

Rohingya Refugee Crisis and the State of Insecurity in Bangladesh

The ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis is considered as one of the largest human-made humanitarian disasters of the 21st century. So far, Bangladesh is the largest recipient of these refugees. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), approximately 650,000 new entrants have been recorded since the new violence erupted on 25 August 2017 in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.1 However, such crisis is nothing new in Bangladesh, nor are the security-related challenges new that such an exodus brings with it. Ever since the military came to power in Myanmar (in 1962), Rohingya exodus to neighboring countries became a recurring incident. The latest mass exodus of Rohingyas from Rakhine state of Myanmar to Bangladesh is the largest of such influxes. Unlike, the previous refugee crisis, the ongoing crisis has wide-ranging security implications on Bangladesh. They are also varied and multifaceted. Thus, responsibilities for ensuring effective protection have become operationally multilateral. The problem of security regarding the Rohingya refugee issue is complicated by the Islamist insurgency, illicit methamphetamine/yaba drug trafficking, and HIV/AIDS/STI prevalence factors. The chapter examines the different dimensions of security challenges that the recent spell of Rohingya exodus brings to Bangladesh and the refugees themselves. In order to understand the challenges, firstly the chapter attempts to conceptualize the prominent security frameworks. Secondly, it examines the context and political economy behind the persecution of Rohingyas in the Rakhine state. Thirdly, it explores the political and military aspects of security. Fourthly, it explores the social and economic dimensions. Finally, it examines the environmental impacts of Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.

econ.GN↗