Berkley Center

Social cohesion is the glue that keeps a society together and ensures the well-being of the citizens. Three actors play pivotal roles in enhancing or damaging the quality of social cohesion: the state, civil society, and political forces. This white paper examines the commitments of Bangladeshi political parties regarding various dimensions of social cohesion, including identity, pluralism, and cohesive values. Reviewing 32 election manifestos of six political parties since 1991, the paper argues that identity—national and individual—remains the most contentious issue and divides the parties into two rather distinct camps. Despite variations in underscoring different elements of identity such as ethnicity and religion, parties subscribe to variations of majoritarianism. Different stances on the role of religion are noted, but pathways for harnessing religion towards a more harmonious society are missing. All parties reviewed acknowledge the country’s religious and cultural diversity, but a robust commitment to bridge the communities, a key factor of building a cohesive society, is absent. Cohesive values such as a sense of social justice, respect for human rights, and underscoring equality among citizens (including minorities) are recognized in various degrees, which provides grounds for some optimism. The paper calls for further exploration of the parties’ commitment to social cohesion and examination of whether these commitments are adhered to in actions—both within the party generally and while it is in power.