Ever since the inception of Bangladesh in 1972 its politics have been featured by several types of seemingly endemic conflict, some of which have been associated with either periodic outbursts of violence or prolonged relatively low-key armed confrontations. The objective of the present study is that of placing the different conflict situations in proper perspective, and examining their highly ramified causal connections which include de-stabilising external influences, inter-group divergences of interests and aspirations within the country, economic stagnation, and the persistence of poverty.