Islamic NGOs in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, a small delta of only 56,000 square miles, with a huge population of 162 million, 90% of which is Muslim, lies at the far end of south Asia and physically isolated from the rest of the Muslim world. The first region of India to be colonised by the British in mid-eighteenth century, Bangladesh emerged as an independent country in 1971 through a bloody war. And despite many misgivings and its dysfunctional democracy it is no longer a ‘bottomless basket’ but a growing economy, thanks primarily to its vibrant private sector. The nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) have played a significant role, though not without criticism, in the post-war reconstruction of Bangladesh. Mohammad Musfequs Salehin’s Islamic NGOs in Bangladesh shows graphically how the Islamic NGOs entering late in the field of development have made all the difference, particularly in rural Bangladesh. The book with detailed research and case studies and rich references makes a valuable contribution. However, because of so many references given in the body of the text, it has become somewhat less readable.