Interruptions, interventions, and innovations in social services during COVID-19 in Bangladesh

The COVID-19 pandemic affected almost all sectors including the social services in Bangladesh. The authorities struggled to provide services to the pandemic-affected people who suddenly lost their jobs, falling into a state of poverty. This study aims to investigate interruptions, interventions, and innovations in government social services because of social policy responses during COVID-19 considering different theoretical models of institutionalism. Following the qualitative method, the study conducted in-depth interviews with 39 representatives of social service agencies that delivered services in the Sylhet district during the pandemic. The study finds that COVID-19 interrupted social service programs leading to interventions and innovations based on the new situation that emerged. It reveals innovations like launching virtual service, introducing a hotline number for help seekers, creating WhatsApp and Messenger groups among the service providers, emphasizing community engagement, etc. in social services which seem to go along with the punctuated equilibrium model or the first-order change that integrates new policies or innovations within the traditional institutional framework to deal better with the problems caused by COVID-19. However, these initiatives were insufficient since pressing issues like mental health and domestic violence that substantially increased during COVID-19 failed to draw the attention of the authorities.