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Bangladeshi nationalism (Bengali:বাংলাদেশী জাতীয়তাবাদ,romanized: Bāṅlādēśī Jātīẏôtābād) is acivic nationalism that promotes the territorial identity ofBangladeshis. It originated as an ideology that emerged during the late 1970s and popularized by formerPresidentZiaur Rahman.
The history of nationalism in the country dates back to the colonial era, when the region started witnessing anti-colonial movements against theBritish Empire. Soon, a sense ofreligious nationalism began to emerge that later revolutionised intoan ethnonationalism that was the driving force behind theEast Bengaliliberation war inEast Pakistan and the emergence of independent Bangladesh in 1971. However, the popularization of a separate national identity other than ethnicity, and the alienation of ethnic minorities post-independence led later leaders to espouse a more democratic civic form of nationalism based on territorial attachment of the people.[1] When army chief Ziaur Rahman came to power, he sought to invigorate state policy and began to promote Bangladeshi nationalism.[1]
The history of development of the territorial and cultural identity in Bangladesh coincided with the origination and growth of Bengali language and literature, predominantly during the period ofBengal Sultanate.[2] The period also reflectedreligious plurality in the form of harmonious coexistence andcultural assimilation of Hindus and Muslims.[3] The sense of a nation-state further advanced during the rule of theNawab of Bengal.[4] The concept of nationalism first emerged in the country after theIndian Rebellion of 1857 in the mid 19th century, grounded on the anti-colonial sentiment during theBritish rule.[5] This nationalism transformed into a new version through thepartition of Bengal in 1905, which was strongly opposed by the Hindus inWest Bengal and was supported by Muslims ofEast Bengal. Even though the partition was annulled in 1911, it left a significant and lasting impact on the people, and for the first time sowed the seeds of Hindu-Muslim communal dissonance. It was the beginning of a religious nationalism which eventually led the Muslims to form a separate state.[5]
After the formation of Pakistan, within a short period the idea of religious nationalism began to be replaced by a sense of ethnolinguistic nationalism among the people of thenEast Pakistan which was primarily caused by the cultural, economic and political discrimination by the West Pakistani elites. Thelanguage movement of 1952 was the biggest manifestation of this ethnolinguistic nationalism which later came to be known asBengali nationalism. This resulted in the demand for regional autonomy for East Pakistan that eventually led to theindependence of Bangladesh fromPakistan in 1971.[6]
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Bangladeshi nationalism means, we are Bangladeshis. We have a different history. Our country has been born through a different process. Our traditions and culture are different. Our language is different, we are moulding it in our own way—we are modernizing it. We have different prose and poetry; we have different arts and thoughts. Our geographical position is different, our rivers and soils are different. Our people are different. We are completely free and sovereign… And today, a consciousness has grown among our people, which is different from that of the people of our neighboring country and other countries of the region.
After independence, the government ofSheikh Mujibur Rahman began to promote Bengali nationalism which was also the basis of Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.[8] However, the nationalism based on theBengali ethnicity left theindigenous peoples of Bangladesh dejected. Sheikh Mujib, rejecting the demands of constitutional recognition for the tribal culture and identity, urged upon the indigenous peoples to become Bengalis. Dissatisfied with the acts of the government, the indigenous peoples fromChittagong Hill Tracts formedParbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti, a political party, to demand autonomy.[9]
After theAssassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, following several coups and counter coups,Ziaur Rahman assumed power in 1976 and declared himself thePresident of Bangladesh.[10] In an attempt to create a territorial identity in contrast to the ethnolinguistic identity of Bengali nationalism, Ziaur Rahman began to promote the idea of Bangladeshi nationalism.[1] In an interview, Ziaur Rahman tried to give a comprehensive definition of this ideology.[7]
From this time, citizens of Bangladesh came to be known as Bangladeshis instead of Bengali. According to scholars, Zia's main aim to foster this new thought was to distant the country from neighbouring India which had developed extensive ties with the Sheikh Mujib government. Proponents of Bangladeshi nationalism argue that this ideology has an edge over the previous Bengali nationalism because of its territorial appeal which succeeds to include the indigenous peoples of Bangladesh as well as distinguishes the people of Bangladesh from the Bengali people of India.[11] According toMuhammad Ghulam Kabir, "Zia was motivated by the desire to unify the country and to further assert Bangladesh's sovereignty."[1]
Political analyst Maruf Mallick argued that Zia wanted to move away from "narrow minded"ethnic andreligious nationalism and wanted to create the identity of the citizens on the basis of the state, basically on the model of Western orNorthern European countries.[12]
Traditional nationalist theories form the basis for Bangladeshi nationalism. Burhan Uddin Ahmed states that there are some major theoretical influences ofErnest Renan andMax Weber on the ideology.[13]
A major feature of Bangladeshi nationalism is the territorial boundary of Bangladesh, which emphasizes on the protection of the sovereign geographic sanctity of the state against the expansionist and colonialist forces.[14] This territorial concept has been described as an inclusive idea which incorporates the association of all people living within the territory of Bangladesh, regardless their ethnicity or religion.[14][1]
The notion of sovereignty also relates to the recognition of the liberation war of 1971 without which, states Rahman, Bangladeshi nationalism remains incomplete, as it serves as the foundation of thenation state.[13]
Rahman, while describing Bangladeshi nationalism, also introduced the idea of "peaceful revolutionary economic system" as a key feature of the ideology. He believed that Bangladesh'ssocialist-influenced economy had been in a poor shape because of "years of colonial-style exploitation". To abate the deteriorating conditions, a revamp of the economic system is required. According toMubashar Hasan, this new economic system was primarily an "outline for acapitalist system".[15]
While replacing Bengali nationalism with Bangladeshi nationalism as one of the fundamental principles, Ziaur Rahman also removed the principle ofsecularism, which was also one of the main features of Bengali nationalism and inserted the line "absolute trust and faith on Almighty Allah". Scholars argue that it was a political strategy of Rahman to win the confidence and support of the right wing political parties of Bangladesh.[1][16] Rahman also intended to strengthen the relations of the country with other Muslim states, especially from the Middle East.[1] The act also helped the country to be differentiated from neighbouringIndia, a Hindu majority state.[17]
Rahman also promotedreligious freedom as a component of Bangladeshi nationalism. Mubashar Hasan states, Rahman's position on religious freedom adheres to theIslamic principle ofTawhid or "the oneness of Allah" and that Rahman's idea of religious freedom is based on "Islamic way, not aliberal secular way". However, Rahman had dismissedtheocracy as the governing system for Bangladesh and had opined that "religion should not form the ideological framework of a political party".[13]
After theassassination of Ziaur Rahman in 1981,Hussain Mohammed Ershad, who held the power following the1982 coup d'état, also actively nurtured Bangladeshi nationalism with high priority on Islam. Ershad had to rely on the support of the right wing political parties as he did not have any support base within both theAwami League andBangladesh Nationalist Party. In 1988, Ershad went even further by declaring Islam as the state religion.[18]
