To what extent did Bangladesh overcome the social and political challenges it faced after 1971?

Candidates will consider the merits or otherwise of the suggestion that Bangladesh has overcome the social and political challenges it faced after 1971. Candidates may offer equal coverage of both social and political challenges, or they may prioritize their assessment of one of them. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may consider how, socially, Bangladesh failed to address the gap between the Western-educated ruling elite and the rural, uneducated masses which led to movements against the authoritarian regime of General Ershad. In addition, the social challenges of widespread poverty, poor infrastructure and corruption were not overcome, in part, due to poor governance. Candidates may consider how, in its infancy, democracy in Bangladesh was weakened by its founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and was followed by two military regimes. Other challenges may be addressed, for example, nation-wide unrests due to the political rivalry between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League which necessitated caretaker governments in 1996 and in 2006. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.