Islamization of the state in a dualistic culture : the case of Bangladesh

This study examined the interaction of religion and politics in Bangladesh in light of the hypothesis that the nature of the particular process of Islamization of the state of Bangladesh, leading to its present semi-Islamic status, has been a function of three independent variables: the specific nature of Islam in the society; the configuration of political interests; and the international environment. The study found that the semi-Islamic status of the state in Bangladesh achieved under military rule is a consequence more of the manipulation of Islam by the military for the sake of legitimacy and of the influence of the Middle East, particularly the flow of remittances, rather than changes in the value orientation of the people of Bangladesh