An Epistemological Paradox:

How Best to Understand Bangladesh?

Abstract

David Lewis, the author of Bangladesh: Politics, Economy and Civil Society (2012), and LSE Professor of Social Policy and Development, is quite right when he says Bangladesh is little known to the western world except forits pervasive image of a disaster-prone, poverty-stricken and donor-reliant country. The book, in this respect, serves the purpose well as it highlights the considerable progress Bangladesh has made since its independence in 1971, challenging prophecies that the new state would be unviable (12-13). There is acknowledgement that Bangladesh has expanded its food production, developed important new export industries such as readymade garments, improved areas of its healthcare and education, for which Lewis has generally applauded concerted government action and innovative work of some of its NGOs in partnership with donor agencies. By doing so, however, Lewis has opened up the reader to question his authorial stance of the book and his methodology relative to the investigation.