In Search of an Identity: The Rise of Political Islam and Bangladeshi Nationalism

Lamia Karim

Department of Anthropology

University of Oregon

Introduced in 1975 by the first military dictator of Bangladesh, Bangladeshi nationalism overlay the older ethno-linguistic nationalism known as Bengali nationalism upon which the country was inaugurated. At the time of its inauguration, Bangladeshi nationalism had two objectives: to incorporate all Bangladeshi citizens, whether Bengali or not, under one national identity; to articulate a new Bengali identity that was distinct from the identity of Bengalis living in West Bengal in India. Unfortunately, Bangladeshi nationalism paved the way for a hyper Islam-identified nationalism and became a tool in the nation-making project of the military dictators. It also led to the political disenfranchisement of citizens who were not Bengali or Muslim (the Adivasis and Hindus for example), thereby, raising a whole set of questions about the nature of the Bangladeshi state and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. One of the ongoing ideological struggles in Bangladesh is over the national identity question: are we Bengalis first, and Muslims second? Or are we Muslims first, and Bengalis second? Do we privilege language over religion or religion over language? Is a hyphenated identity possible where both sides are held in equilibrium by a cultural consensus? If that were to be the case, then what would be the rights of ethnic and religious minorities?

For cultural nationalists in Bangladesh, language/culture is the more important determinant of identity, and they seek a panethnic Bengali identity with Bengalis living in West Bengal (India). For religious nationalists, Bangladeshi Muslims must reject residual aspects of syncretic Islam and strictly follow the Saudi Arabian interpretation of Islam and its codes. In the third place are nationalists who advocate a national identity, which is rooted in the indigenous folk culture of Bangladesh, one that rejects the ultra-nationalism of both the Islamic and cultural nationalists. This tension gives rise to a set of problematics about the state, democracy, religion and citizenry in the context of Bangladesh that this paper will explore.