RECENTLY I returned to a village named Dautia in Manikgonj, fifty kms from Dhaka, after an absence of 28 years. 1 first went there three decades ago as a participant observer under the guidance of two anthropologists. After an interval of 28 years, what changes did I see in the economy, society, and polity of the village?

Flood

In addition to the tangible indicators, signs of devastation were everywhere. How much the resilient fanners are braving the disaster is equally visible - no matter whether external assistance came or not. Young plants are sprouting everywhere. For the people of Manikgonj, situated on the bank of the mighty major river, water is part of their way of life. Bona amon is their age old farming practice. Rice plants grow competing with flood water level, as

I witnessed during 1977-78. Most vithi land are raised surpassing flood water level. No mud houses at all -mostly tirrhouses to live in seasonal water reality. If needed, when they move, their tin houses move with them.

Economy

Once the area was labour surplus. Now it is labour deficit, claimed Ahmed Khan, a freedom fighter, while dunking cookies in his hot tea in Dautia village market. He is now dependent on the external labour-

ers from Pabna to operate his ancestral land. During the seventies, labourers from Manikgonj used to travel to northern districts to work in agriculture. The village rich who used to live in tin houses now converted into pucca houses while seasonally unemployed labourers have more work as livelihood

option.

More children are going to schools than before. Educated youths are increasingly working in enterprises in Dhaka. Rashed, Javed Khan’s (a village shaliskar) only son is happily settled in Savar with his own house and commutes daily to Dhaka to work for an audit firm. Uis happy father has a pucca house with subsidy from his son. Electricity has also brought more comforts to the rustic life.

Unlike many other regions, hardly anyone from the village and the surrounding areas is working abroad to enrich their ancestral villages. Thanks to Grarneen, everywhere in the villages there are palli mobile phones - an added livelihood in the villages. Babiu, whom I saw in his mother's lab twenty eight years ago, is now a successful DTW mechanics.

Dautia hat was found replete with local vegetables, frequented by farias as before. Changes were seen in the fish market. Every one going back home after shopping, carrying a pangash, commercially produced, unlike what I saw 28 years before. SAP further enriched the rich landowners by adding technology, DTW,

in their wealth menu. Under changed policy of privatisation. DTWs are now owned by the rich landowners. Landlords are now also water lords. As I penetrate villages in Manikgonj, more rickshaws are visible on the road than before and more boats on the water ways.

Society

The rural power structure is declining, which is good news for the poor citizens.

But at the same time the idea of community is also rapidly declining. Market Ls increasingly taking over.

"Rustic folks are busier than be fore these days. They have time to hang around their nurtabbars for a dekchi, rather will pay taka 50 to "decorator" for a day use of a big dekchi," Mazid Molla, a primary teacher observed. Factions, as the single most indicator of rural power

structure, are now much weakened. Over generations, the factional rivalry of the Khan and Molla families over elecdon, land, control over shalish is very different these days.

Nanno's two sons found life in America more rewarding than the village politics that they inherited from their father and grand father.

Earlier those who obeyed them blindly in a situation of limited alternative livelihood option, have now found alternatives in NGO triggered livelihood as well as temporary migration for construction work in Dhaka and other urban centres.

The Molla family these says is investing more in urban transports, rather than their father's strategy of investing in land. With changes in investment nature, relations of power also changed. Molla's central power base Nizam MP, from the neighbouring village Shusunda, died a few years before. As the two leading power players functionally moved out, players from the middle category moved up, less efficient to oppress, with less intensity in activities. Formal power bastion as UP chairman moved to neighbouring village.

Culture

During 1977-78, sweets used to be served as the first item while serving food during a marriage ceremony. Among the lower classes, banana leaves used to be used to serve food. The menu these days Is not too different from Dhaka J However,

there are class variations.

Civil society j

Emerging civil society seems a positive trend, taking increasingly pro-poor position, gleartingsomeof the learning from professional NGOs.Aseniorjournalistworkingas editor of a daily in Dhaka started pro-poor work in his native village Ghona and founded a new NGO. Three decades ago, mariyjountalists thought that NGOs are foreign agents. A big encouraging shift in their perception is visible.

Gender relations I

In many areas change^ are visible, except gender. Market participation is 100 percent men, as itwas2B years before. However, in the marriage ceremony I went to attend, equity . participation was theje, and very much urban influenced. Relatives

from Dhaka, rather than samoj played a more active role in running the festival. The rural rich have more productive linkages than (he poor. Concluding remarks "The village economy has slightly improved. People worked hard.The state did not work hard in improving the life and livelihood of the rural citizens," Ahmed Khah observed. The market is increasingly penetrating village life. Civil society is growing.

Imagine what would happen if Nanno’s sons, as part of future civil society, with American dollars, ideas and technology, come back to agriculture, back to their rooti, back to promote grassroots democracy — what then might the possibilities be after another thirty year}! Howwillthevillageslookthen?

More and more of the next generation are going to schools -- no matter how low the quality might be. How are their dreams different from their earlier generations? How many of them will stay back in the village?

"Take me to the town. I will be happy with one meal a day in urban setting," a housewife lamented.

How much of their dreams will come into reality? Can the village bb their future dream? What transformation will be needed in that regard?

Mohammad Zakaria works as an Advisor- Shared Loaming forActlonAld Bangladesh.

***Imagine what would happen if Nanno's sons, as part of futlre civil society, with American dollars, ideas and {technology, come back to agriculture, back to their roots, back to promote grassroots democracy — what then might the possibilities be after another thirty years! How will the villages look then?***