Examining the barriers of Rakhine’s political representation in Bangladesh through social capital

The endorsing party system and electoral voting converge as a traditional pattern of political participation among citizens of Bangladesh. However, the political participation of ethnic minorities has evolved through predominantly historic and systematic barriers and marginalization in Bangladesh, despite having a constitutional guarantee for the substantive inclusion of minorities. The Rakhines, in particular, are significantly underrepresented in both national and local governing systems due to socio-economic hurdles, historical oppression, poor access to political networks, and political exclusion. This study considers how social and financial inequalities perpetuate political exclusion and constitute barriers to political representation, as well as to civic life and politics, for the Rakhine. Drawing on Putnam’s understanding of social capital, this research also examines how the conceptual framework of networks, norms, and trust shapes the political representation of the Rakhine Buddhist community in Bangladesh, particularly through case studies of Kuakata and Taltoli Upazila.