Rethinking Knowledge, Power, Agency: Learning from Displaced and Slum Communities in Bangladesh

The increasing amount of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has resulted in a growing number of slums in Bangladesh. Despite the UN Guiding Principles, IDPs are rarely offered compensation or resettlement. Due to social exclusion and marginalisation, their knowledge and agency are often ignored in policy-making and research. Based on two months of fieldwork in two slums, we analyse everyday struggles and collective organising of displaced and slum communities in Dhaka. This chapter highlights the importance of learning from affected communities and centralising their knowledge and expertise in all instances where the aim is to address injustices related to forced displacement.