Syndicates and Societies - Criminal Politics in Dhaka

When you work on the streets of Dhaka, crime is part of everyday life. Rackets are ubiquitous, political muscle widespread, and territory often fought over. Locals refer to the syndicate that lie behind the façade of the city, controlling who works where, how services are delivered and who profits. Based on years of research Syndicates and Societies reveals how syndicates shape life in Kawran Bazar, the largest marketplace in Bangladesh, and offers a new approach to understanding the nexus of crime and politics. The book traces the bazar's history from a heartland of gangsters to being dominated by ruling party leaders and state officials. It follows a group of labourers as they seek a place in this world, aligning themselves to leaders, orchestrating bombings and fighting off rivals. Syndicates and Societies thus explores the relationship between crime and order, revealing a world of extortionists and informers, political muscle and union leaders.

List of contents

Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. A Dhaka Serai; 2. The Years of Terror; 3. Chanda/baji; 4. Labour Lords; 5. Fighting for Carrots; 6. (Not So) Friendly Societies; 7. When Crime is Order; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

About the author

Dr David Jackman is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the University of Oxford. He studies the political economy of crime and violence in South Asia with a focus on Bangladesh and West Bengal. He is co-editor of the volume Controlling the Capital: Political Dominance in the Urbanizing World.

Summary

This book offers a rich ethnographic account of the relationship between crime and politics in Bangladesh. It studies how 'syndicates' led by political leaders control the country's largest bazar, how this has changed over recent decades, and how labourers and vendors navigate this world.

Product details

• Authors: David Jackman, David (University of Oxford) Jackman
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.10.2024
• EAN: 9781009442305
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0944230-5
• No. of pages: 220
• Series: South Asia in the Social Sciences
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, Bangladesh, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Asian, 21st Century, Social groups, Political science & theory, Sociology: work & labour, Political science and theory, Early 21st century c 2000 to c 2050, Sociology: work and labour, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Labor / General, Social groups, communities and identities