Indian Council of World Affairs

Abstract: With the August uprising in Bangladesh, a new narrative is being written, history and politics of the nation are being re-drawn. Will this new narrative bring forth a better tomorrow for the people of Bangladesh? 

In the past, whenever there has been a change of governance in Bangladesh, the incumbent government made attempts to glorify specific individuals or events, while demonizing others. This has involved changing the name of airports, government policies, buildings and institutions and extracting or including specific narratives in school textbooks. However, Bangladesh today, under the governance of an interim government, is witnessing the redrawing of Bangladeshi history and politics, building a new narrative that might impact the common national identity of the masses and the nation.[i]

From the month of August, some major events have been organised or policies adapted, creating this new narrative. For the first time in independent Bangladesh, the 76^th death anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah was commemorated by the Nawab Salimullah Academy at the National Press Club in Dhaka on 11 September 2024. Several speakers emphasised Jinnah’s crucial role in the creation of Pakistan and Pakistan’s positive role in creating a unique identity for Bangladesh, stating that without Jinnah, “Bangladesh too would not exist”. The event saw speakers reciting Urdu poetry and songs, a number of them dedicated to Jinnah. Speakers from the Nagorik Parishad elucidated the crucial role that Jinnah played in the creation of East Pakistan and Bangladesh, enumerating how India remained to be an obstacle and challenge for Bangladesh all through. The event was attended by the Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner.[ii]

One of the principal identities of the people of East Bengal, later East Pakistan and now Bangladesh, has been the pride of their Bangla language. From 1948, students in East Pakistan had agitated to protest the omission of the Bengali language from official use. On March 1948, Jinnah faced strong protests during a speech in Dhaka clearly stating that “Urdu, and only Urdu” was the language that embodied the spirit of the Muslim nations and Urdu will remain as the state language.[iii] Student protests continued for the recognition of Bangla as the mother tongue in Dhaka, leading to the killing of students on the university campus on 21 February 1952 by armed police forces. This day has been celebrated as the National Martyr’s Day in Bangladesh; the UN recognised 21 February as International Mother’s Language Day from 1999. It is difficult to comprehend how demagogic policies would benefit Bangladesh by glorifying the role of Jinnah, Pakistan and Urdu in Bangladesh, eschewing mention of any positive role of India in the region. 

Many governments have come and gone including multiple interim governments from 1971. During such regime changes, incumbent governments made minor changes like changing the name of the international airport or government policies, or amending some policies adopted by the previous government. However, there is an attempt of erasing or re-writing history of the nation presently, which seems unprecedented. 

After the Liberation War of 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was universally recognised as the “Father of the Nation”. The residence of Mujib, where he and his family were assassinated in a military coup on 15 August 1975 was turned into a museum on 14 August 1994. During the recent August uprising, the museum was not only vandalized but also set on fire. Such vandalism or desecration was never seen during past regimes. Numerous iconic statues of Mujib have been vandalized and demolished by third-generation protestors, who are either bereft of the narrative and memory of the misery, sacrifice and victory of the common man in gaining independence or only identify such national icons and history as political symbols as the propaganda of the ousted Awami League. Protestors stopped commemoration of the death anniversary of Mujib on 15 August throughout the nation, while some protestors were even found celebrating the killing of Mujib.[iv]

In another event, controversial[v] Bangladeshi academic Dr Shahiduzzaman, at a seminar organised by the Retired Armed Forces Officers Welfare Association (RAOWA) in Dhaka on 14 September 2024, made some statements that are noteworthy. In that seminar, which was attended by retired Bangladesh Army officials, he stated that Pakistan and Bangladesh should establish an alliance in the realm of nuclear defence to deter the hegemonic tendencies of its larger neighbour in the region.[vi] He further went ahead to state that Pakistan is a “most trusted and reliable partner of Bangladesh”.[vii] Such narratives are strengthening the anti-1971 forces, re-vitalising voices that were suppressed in the past.

Assessing the altering narrative that is being set forth or permitted by the interim government, the Pakistani foreign office has revived its Bangladesh policy. Pakistan High Commissioner Syed Ahmed Maroof during a courtesy call at the Bangladesh foreign ministry has not only proposed to revive the Joint Economic Commission between the two nations but also requested to ease the issuance of visas and resumption of direct flights between the two countries to enhance people-to-people contacts. The last direct flight between Pakistan and Bangladesh was operated by the Pakistan International Airlines in 2018.[viii] Maroof also stated that Bangladeshis will not have to pay visa fees anymore for travelling to Pakistan.[ix]

One more policy by the interim government has been to release radical Islamists from prisons and correction centres. Releasing Jashimuddin Rahmani Hafi, the chief of the terrorist group al-Qaeda’s affiliate, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) by Yunus raises doubts with regard to the path the interim government is charting for the future of Bangladesh. Rahmani, after being freed from prison, in a video message, warned India that he would seek assistance from China, Pakistan and Afghanistan for carrying out myriad terrorist and secessionist activities throughout India.[x] No steps or statements have been made by the Yunus government against such statements or videos. 

The events and initial steps of the Yunus’ administration narrated above remain a fraction of the overall developments and concerted efforts underway to of re-invent the Bangladeshi identity. Regime changes have always been followed with attempts on re-writing history and this is what is being witnessed in Bangladesh now. However, it is highly unlikely that any radical narrative founded on hatred and negativity will make any positive impact on the growth chart of Bangladesh for the future but will certainly challenge the peace and security of the region.

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*Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharjee, Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)
Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal.

Endnotes

[i] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy and Abdul Hameed Nayyar, “Rewriting the History of Pakistan”, in Mohammad Asghar Khan (ed.) Islam, Politics and the State: The Pakistan Experience (Zed Books, London, 1985), pp. 164-177

[ii] “Jinnah’s death anniversary observed in Dhaka with Urdu songs, poetry”, The Dhaka Tribune, September 12, 2024, https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/dhaka/358179/jinnah%E2%80%99s-death-anniversary-observed-at-national, Accessed on September 17, 2024.

[iii] “When Mr Jinnah came to Dhaka”, The Dhaka Tribune, March 4, 2020, https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/202933/when-mr-jinnah-came-to-dhaka, Accessed on September 17, 2024.

[iv] “People being barred from entering Dhanmondi 32, beaten up”, Prothom Alo English, August 15, 2024, https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/city/2hne2b2zsi, Accessed on September 20, 2024: “What Lungi Dance at Mujib's memorial means for Bangladesh”, India Today, August 16, 2024, https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/lungi-dance-sheikh-mujibur-rahman-memorial-death-anniversary-dhaka-bangladesh-sheikh-hasina-dhanmondi-2583316-2024-08-16, Accessed on September 20, 2024.

[v] The academic was found guilty of sexual misconduct in 2013 during his tenure as a Professor in Dhaka University leading to suspension. As per reports, the academics credibility remains under question. Chris Blackburn, “Controversial Professor calls for nuclear weapons treaty between Bangladesh and Pakistan”, Global Order, September 16, 2024, https://www.globalorder.live/post/controversial-professor-calls-for-nuclear-weapons-treaty-between-bangladesh-and-pakistan, Accessed on September 18, 2024.

[vi] Chris Blackburn, “Controversial Professor calls for nuclear weapons treaty between Bangladesh and Pakistan”, Global Order, September 16, 2024, https://www.globalorder.live/post/controversial-professor-calls-for-nuclear-weapons-treaty-between-bangladesh-and-pakistan, Accessed on September 18, 2024.

[vii] Kamran Yousaf, “Major shift in Pak-BD ties on horizon”, The Express Tribune, September 16, 2024, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2496460/major-shift-in-pak-bd-ties-on-horizon, Accessed on September 18, 2024.

[viii] “Major shift in Pak-BD ties on horizon”, The Express Tribune, September 16, 2024, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2496460/major-shift-in-pak-bd-ties-on-horizon, Accessed on September 18, 2024.

[ix] “Bangladeshis can travel to Pakistan without visa fee now”, The Dhaka Tribune, September 2, 2024, https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/357030/bangladeshis-to-be-able-to-travel-to-pakistan, Accessed on September 19, 2024.

[x] “Bangladeshi Islamist released by Yunus urges Mamata to 'free Bengal & declare independence': Report”, First Post, September 13, 2024, https://www.firstpost.com/world/bangladeshi-islamist-released-by-yunus-urges-mamata-to-free-bengal-declare-independence-report-13815115.html, Accessed on September 19, 2024.