Transformation of Linguistic Identity to Religious Identity: An Exploration of the Political Transition in Bangladesh

Author(s): Arijit Chowdhury

Abstract:

The political development of Bangladesh then provides a very interesting story of the shift in the consciousness of the language-oriented nationalism into nationalism that is becoming much more based on religious aspects. In this paper, the politics of identity in Bangladesh, focusing on how the initial emphasis has been on linguistic nationalism in the Liberation War in 1971, which has slowly shifted to the later years, with the development of a national identity along religious lines. A thorough historical as well as political analysis is demonstrated with factors such as the radical influence of the Bengali language in the nationalist movement, the impacts of the constitutional amendments, and the effects of domestic or world political forces on religious identity formation being major milestones of the study. The study assumes that as the linguistic identity served an important purpose in Bangladesh's road to independence, the political transition followed, the rule of the military, and the rise of religious political parties have redefined the national identity progressively to Centre on Islam. The implication of this change is serious in terms of governance, social harmony, and minority rights in Bangladesh. In exploring these shifts, the paper will help to deepen the knowledge regarding the intricacies of developing national identities in an environment of dynamically changing political realities.

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Pages: 25-31     |    2 View     |    1 Download