The Rural Political Elite in Bangladesh: A Study of Leadership Pattern in Six Union Parishads of Rangpur District

Abstract

The thesis deals with the patterns of leadership in six Union Parishads of Rangpur district of Bangladesh. data of the research were collected by examining certain characteristics of the chairmen and members of Union Parishads of two successive elections. The study reveals that the chairmen and members of Union Parishads are, by and large, rich and influential persons in the villages who organise election propaganda and mobilize the people using mostly traditional group sen- timent to win the election. It has also been found that being the local leaders, the chairmen and members of Union Parishads are more interested in local issues than national ones. This does not mean that they are indifferent to national issues. Majority of them are members of the na- tional political parties. But their membership is greatly influenced by the party in power, since they are closely linked with it.