The Biharis’ Access to Citizenship Rights: Theory, Law, and Realities

The Biharis, while legally Bangladeshi citizens, are in practice unable to access some important citizenship rights. Most Biharis in Bangladesh have been recognized as legally entitled to citizenship in Bangladesh. However, there are a few important rights that are associated with citizenship, and it is the ability to access these rights in practice that makes citizenship meaningful. My field research shows that many Biharis in Bangladesh are unable to access these rights. On the basis of my fieldwork, I argue in this chapter that the Biharis’ access to citizenship rights is inconsistent with citizenship theory (i.e., right to have rights), citizenship laws in Bangladesh, and the Constitution of Bangladesh, that is, fundamental principles and fundamental rights.