In much of the world de facto political authority is held by violent actors both within and beyond the formal state. These actors often interdepend as much as they compete, and in so doing radically shape the character of politics and the lives of a societies’ citizens. A striking question this raises is how the ability to use violence becomes more consolidated within the state. When, in other words, do states disarm societies? This project examines this question in the historically unruly South-West of Bangladesh.