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OPINION OCTOBER 25, 2024 | The Indian Eye 10

Charting A New Narrative:

Redrawing History and Politics

in Bangladesh

DR. DHRUBAJYOTI BHATTACHARJEE

ith the August uprising in
Bangladesh, a new narra-
Wtive is being written, history
and politics of the nation are being re-
drawn. Will this new narrative bring
forth a better tomorrow for the peo-
ple of Bangladesh?
In the past, whenever there has
been a change of governance in Ban-
gladesh, the incumbent government
made attempts to glorify specific in-
dividuals or events, while demonizing
others. This has involved changing the
name of airports, government policies,
buildings and institutions and extract-
ing or including specific narratives in
school textbooks. However, Bangla-
desh 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.
From the month of August, some
major events have been organized or
policies adapted, creating this new Releasing Jashimuddin Rahmani Hafi, the chief of the terrorist group al-Qaeda’s affiliate, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) by Yunus raises doubts
narrative. For the first time in inde-
pendent Bangladesh, the 76th death with regard to the path the interim government is charting for the future of Bangladesh (Agency file photo)
anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah
was commemorated by the Nawab Pakistan and now Bangladesh, has is difficult to comprehend how dem- where he and his family were assas-
Salimullah Academy at the National been the pride of their Bangla lan- agogic policies would benefit Bangla- sinated in a military coup on 15 Au-
Press Club in Dhaka on 11 September guage. From 1948, students in East desh by glorifying the role of Jinnah, gust 1975 was turned into a museum
2024. Several speakers emphasized Pakistan had agitated to protest the Pakistan and Urdu in Bangladesh, es- on 14 August 1994. During the recent
Jinnah’s crucial role in the creation of omission of the Bengali language chewing mention of any positive role August uprising, the museum was not
Pakistan and Pakistan’s positive role from official use. On March 1948, of India in the region. only vandalized but also set on fire.
in creating a unique identity for Ban- Jinnah faced strong protests during a Many governments have come Such vandalism or desecration was
gladesh, stating that without Jinnah, speech in Dhaka clearly stating that and gone including multiple inter- never seen during past regimes.
“Bangladesh too would not exist”. “Urdu, and only Urdu” was the lan- im governments from 1971. During Numerous iconic statues of Mu-
The event saw speakers reciting guage that embodied the spirit of the such regime changes, incumbent gov- jib have been vandalized and demol-
Urdu poetry and songs, a number of Muslim nations and Urdu will remain ernments made minor changes like ished by third-generation protestors,
them dedicated to Jinnah. Speakers as the state language. changing the name of the interna- who are either bereft of the narrative
from the Nagorik Parishad elucidat- Student protests continued for tional airport or government policies, and memory of the misery, sacrifice
ed the crucial role that Jinnah played the recognition of Bangla as the or amending some policies adopted and victory of the common man in
in the creation of East Pakistan and mother tongue in Dhaka, leading by the previous government. Howev- gaining independence or only identi-
Bangladesh, enumerating how India to the killing of students on the uni- er, there is an attempt of erasing or fy such national icons and history as
remained to be an obstacle and chal- versity campus on 21 February 1952 re-writing history of the nation pres- political symbols as the propaganda of
lenge for Bangladesh all through. The by armed police forces. This day has ently, which seems unprecedented. the ousted Awami League. Protestors
event was attended by the Pakistani been celebrated as the National Mar- After the Liberation War of 1971, stopped commemoration of the death
Deputy High Commissioner. tyr’s Day in Bangladesh; the UN rec- Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was uni- anniversary of Mujib on 15 August
One of the principal identities of ognized 21 February as International versally recognized as the “Father of throughout the nation, while some
the people of East Bengal, later East Mother’s Language Day from 1999. It the Nation”. The residence of Mujib, Continued on next page... >>

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