Forging Bangladesh's market state: The politics of state-led Neoliberalism under the Awami League (2009–2024)

Abstract The dominance of neoliberalism has restructured state functions globally and produced what scholars describe as a "market state" , whose legitimacy is increasingly grounded in the promotion of market-mediated opportunity and global competitiveness rather than direct welfare provision. This study examines how Bangladesh's state machinery gradually reshaped itself into a market-oriented order between 2009 and 2024 under the Awami League regime. Drawing on reports, academic work, and institutional data, the paper argues that privatization, large-scale infrastructure, and public–private partnerships fueled both rapid growth and deep social divides. While economic dynamism became the government's hallmark, widening inequality and ecological loss emerged as the project's underside. This study employs a longitudinal, qualitative case-study design using systematically triangulated secondary data. The study concludes that the Bangladeshi case exemplifies a distinct model of state-led neoliberalism, challenging the minimalist state ideal by demonstrating how state power can be leveraged to entrench market rule, resulting in a development trajectory marked by both impressive growth and high socio-ecological costs.