1. Introduction

This chapter provides the background to this research on civil society in Bangladesh, along with its core arguments, objectives, and methodology. The research addresses the paradox found in the nature and function of the civil society in Bangladesh. The book concentrates on exploring the answers to the core question, “despite its vibrant disposition, why the civil society is hardly vigilant, in terms of political participation and democracy?” This chapter sets the scene. Both secondary and primary data were used for this research and the principal methods that were adopted were social survey, case study, and newspaper analysis. The study reveals that though the civil society in Bangladesh gained significant success in social development, in case of political advocacy, the civil society itself has been influenced by the powerful social political structures that have weakened its potentials to generate democratic norms among the citizens, articulate interests, and watch on government actions. This chapter also provides a brief idea about the civil society in Bangladesh and introduces the rest of the book to the readers.