An Assignment on Ethnicity and Nationalism

An Assignment on Ethnicity and Nationalism

Submitted to:

Md. Ashraful Haq

Lecturer,

Dept of Public Administration

Jahangirnagar University,

Savar, Dhaka

Submitted by:

Rubait- E- Jannat

Roll No: 1078

2nd Year Honors Student

Dept of Public Administration

Jahangirnagar University,

Savar, Dhaka

Submission Date: October 11, 2010

Contents

  • Introduction

  • Concept of “Ethnicity” & “Nationalism” And The “Bengali Vs Bangladeshi” Controversy

  • Existing Conflict between these two concepts

  • Suggested Solution to this problem

  • conclusion

Introduction:

Ethnicity, Nationalism and similar form of identity politics grew in political importance in the world throughout the twentieth century, particularly after the second world. Ethnicity and nationalism are the most important phenomena that have become more visible in many societies. And it has become impossible to ignore them.  This controversial issue also exists in Bangladesh on the question of national identity. Here the conflict is between the “Bengali” Vs “Bangladeshi” identities. Conflict on this issue has been arisen politically rather than anthropologically. It is the most existing crisis in present Bangladesh that what would be the national identity of the country, as there are many non Bengali citizens in the tribal area and Biharies in the country. Tension between Bengali nationalism based on language and culture and Bangladeshi nationalism rooted in the primacy of religion, has resulted in a steady drift towards Islamic hegemony. Both have had exclusionary consequences for its religious, linguistic, and ethnic minorities.

Concept of “Ethnicity” & “Nationalism” And The “Bengali Vs Bangladeshi” Controversy:

Both ‘Bengali’ and ‘Bangladeshi’ identities have there own anthropological origin. One is ‘Ethnicity’ and another is ‘Nationalism’. The process of defining ethnicity usually involves a group of people emphasizing common origins and language, common heritage, shared history, and selected cultural differences such as a difference in religion. Ethnic group differ based on cultural similarities and differences. Ethnicity is primordial theory. On the contrary nationalism is not a primordial theory but a product of modern society. It is primarily a political principle, which holds that the political and the national unit should be harmonious. Nationality expects loyalty to political lords and exerts public sentiment. Establishing relation between these two concepts is very complex. Neither is vanishing as part of an obsolete traditional order. Both are part of a modern set of categorical identities invoked by elites and other participants in political and social struggles. These categorical identities also shape everyday life, offering both tools for grasping preexisting homogeneity and difference and constructing specific versions of such identities. While it is impossible to dissociate nationalism entirely from ethnicity, it is equally impossible to explain it simply as a continuation of ethnicity.

Hobsbawm (1990, Hobsbawm& Ranger, 1983),an anthropologist, has largely treated nationalism as a kind of second-order political movement based on a false consciousness which ethnicity helps to produce but cannot explain because the deeper roots lie in political economy not culture.

Against this background, Anthony Smith (1983, 1986, and 1991) has tried to show that nationalism has stronger roots in pre modern ethnicity than others have accepted. Smith agrees that nationalism, as ideology and movement, dates only from the later eighteenth century, but argues that the “ethnic origins of nations” are much older.

On the basis of these two concepts we can refer the ‘Bengali’ identity to the ethnicity and ‘Bangladeshi’ to the nationalism. But it has become a controversial issue in Bangladesh politics. To discuss this controversy we need to review the history of these two identities.

v  Bengali Identity:

Bengali nationality has its own origin in Bengali ethnicity. The people who are practicing Bengali as their mother language and following the Bengali culture are known as Bengali. The people of this ethnic group are divided into two regions due to the separation of India and Pakistan in 1947. One portion is in the West Bengal of India and another is in Bangladesh. Before the partition of the two countries the present Bangladesh was known as the East Bengal. All people of these two wings were belonged to the Bengali identity. The Bengali identity is rooted in the expression of pride in the history and cultural heritage of Bengal. After the separation of India – Pakistan the Bengali of West Bengal belonged to the Indian nationality. And the people of East Bengal belonged to Pakistani nationality but the ethnic feeling remained same as before. Under the rule of Pakistani government Bengalis were ignored in every national issue. They were neglected by the Pakistanis. With the declaration of Urdu as the state language, the ethnic feeling of Bengali was arisen extremely and it divided the two wings psychologically. The language movement of 1952 in East Bengal is the result of their ethnic feelings. The movement is the first beginning of the growth of cultural and geographical dimension of Bengali nationalism of the East Bengal.  Bengali nationalism in East Pakistan enhanced due to their deprivation of the right to build up their own destiny. Pakistan ruling elite established central control on East Pakistan through imposition of section 92A of the government of India Act, 1935, which was adapted as the constitution of Pakistan till a new constitution for Pakistan was framed. The basis of Bengali nationalism was consolidated when economic dimension was added to the cultural and geographical dimensions and the subsequent movements to realize the right of the Bengalis got momentum. According to Professor Kabir Chowdhury, ‘The consciousness of the Bengalis about the economic disparity between the two wings of the then Pakistan was mainly raised on the basis of Bengali nationalism. The cultural and anthropological diversity of the then Pakistan played an important role in the formation of this consciousness.’1

This consciousness brought the language movement as well as a new state latter. Actually the ethnic and socio-economic discrimination against Bengali people forced and agitations arose in East Pakistan.  Bengali nationalism was found strongly buil up in East Bengal for the formation of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the former president of the new state, formulated the Constitution of Bangladesh in 1972. He designed the citizens of Bangladesh as Bengalis. The original 1972 constitution had four basic principles: secularity, nationalism, democracy, and socialism. But it was criticized by the tribal ethnic groups. Their saying was that this identity only represent the Bengalis not them. But the state was born with the feeling of Bengali nationalism and secularism, nationalism was the demand of the people.

v  Bangladeshi identity:

Bangladeshi nationalism is a political ideology that glorifies and promotes the citizens of the Bangladesh as a distinctive cultural and political nation. In contrast with its rival Bengali nationalism, the ideology emphasizes a clear distinction amongst the Bengali people, that essentially Bangladeshi citizens are different from their linguistic and cultural counterparts in the Indian state of West Bengal. The term also has religious significance and was initially developed by Bangladesh’s first military regime (1975) in order to politically counter the ideology of the Awami League party, which professed Bengali nationalism and led the Bangladesh Liberation War on the basis of the establishment of a sovereign homeland for the Bengali people. As opposed to the secular Bengali nationalism, Bangladeshi nationalism stresses the ethnic and Islamic consciousness of the people of Bangladesh, where 89% of the population is Bengali Muslims. Bangladeshi nationalism got currency among section of political leaders, political activists, intellectuals, writers, journalists, and student community. But the section believing in Bengali nationalism denied the new designation of Bangladeshi nationality. The military coup proclaimed Bangladesh as an Islamic state by the 8th amendment of constitution.

Existing Conflict between these two concepts:

Bangladesh is a new nation with a multiethnic and multi religious plurality of population. Among the ethnic and religious groups of population in the country, the Muslims constitute about 89.7% of the total population. The Hindus constitute the second biggest religious minority population according to 2001 census report. In Bangladesh there are many races mostly Bengalis, but there are many tribal people, biharis (from Bihar, India) etc. As for the tribal population, there are 59 small ethnic groups in Bangladesh. The name of those ethnic groups is the Garo, the Khyang, the Marma, the Moro, the Bom, the Monipuri etc. after the birth of Bangladesh, secularism was incorporated in the Bangladesh constitution as a fundamental principle to guarantee equality of rights of all groups of people including the minority groups. But article 12 of the Bangladesh constitution regarding secularism was dropped by proclamation order No. 1 of 1977 by the military ruler, General Zia. The proclamation of Islam as the state religion by the Lt. General H.M. Ershad reinforced the process of the alienation of minorities. These things are really confusing with the people. There was a controversial debate by the top intellectuals and newspapers of Bangladesh on our nationality “Whether we are Bengali or Bangladeshi”.

Minority problems pose serious threats to the Nation building task of Bangladesh. The tribe minorities, after the military coup- de- tat of August 15, 1975, started insurgency. For more then two decades they created and sustained a situation alarming to the nation building in Bangladesh. Among the tribal minorities group the chakma leaders are mainly involved in this issue. They raised question about the insertion of Bengali nationalism in the constitution. They demand for autonomy of chittagong hill track. And to get autonomy they formed Parbatta Chattagram Janashaghati Samity (PCJSS) in the jungle of hill track and Shanty Bahini. They formed these gangs to take action against the Government forces. But different Governments of Bangladesh tried to make a peace treaty with them in several times. Thus, in December 02, 1997, the AL Government was signed the historic peace treaty.

But the problem on the issue of nationalism still remains as controversial phenomenon. Tension between Bengali nationalism based on language and culture and Bangladeshi nationalism rooted in the primacy of religion, has resulted in a steady drift towards Islamic hegemony. Both have had exclusionary consequences for its religious, linguistic, and ethnic minorities.

The question on nationality issue should get more priority for the national unity. But unfortunately it has been turned into political identity in

Bangladesh. As the two major political parties AL and BNP are hold the power in different period, their aim is to establish their own political view. After the 8th amendment of constitution which proclaimed ‘Bangladeshi’ nationality, many intellectuals are fighting for the naming of our nationality – Bengali instead of Bangladeshi. They built up their arguments with the points like we have a very old culture, rich language and heritage; we have been known as Bengalis since many centuries etc. Even the present AL Government wants to go back to the 1972’s constitution and restore the Bengali nationality in constitution. Thus it has become a current debate that what should be the national identity of Bangladesh. It brings tensions that if the nationality get return to Bengali what will be the reaction of the tribes.

It will become more difficult for the national integrity.

Suggested Solution for this problem:

For solving this problem we have to understand that what would be the stronger solidarity force for national integration. The nationality should be determined either by ethnicity or nationalism or political. For finding out the solution of this crisis we may look out the history all over the world. From the histories of world we found that ethnicity could not always able to integrate people for the nation building. It might bring political movements as well as revolution against other ethnic groups. We are also the example of the ethnical movement. It was he ethnic feeling that gave us courage of the liberation war. But sometimes ethnicity might be used for the interest of certain groups. Then it could be dangerous for state sovereignty and national integration. On the other hand, nationalism provides solidarity for warfare, political control, economic development, and national integration. On the basis of this discussion we can say that for nationalism could be the solution concept for determining the national identity of our country. Bangladeshi nationality should be the ideal nationality of Bangladesh. We should give priority to the national interest not to the political interest. As a multiethnic country we have to establish a national identity which represents all the ethnic groups living in the country including Bengalis, Chakmas, Garos, Marmas. If we consider the Bangladeshi nationality on the basis of nationalism concept than the religious symbolism, the existing crisis will not be a major factor then. We have to establish a national identity on the basis of national symbolism. If we look at the other countries like America, India, Pakistan, and so others we found that their nationality are American, Indian, and Pakistani respectively. Their nationality is derived from the view of nationalism concept not from the ethnicity. For example, in the United States it is not common for the majority to call themselves European Americans, but other groups may be called African Americans, Asian Americans, or Native Americans. But all of them are only known as Americans. And thus they are known as the most civilized and developed nation in the world. Indians are also developed their position by integrating their nation by the name of nationalism. We can also get a strong solidarity among our nation through the Bangladeshi nationalism. Then all the citizens would consider themselves as Bangladeshi not as any other ethnic identity. People who are not Bengali and not practicing the same culture and values, will also represent the nationalism of Bangladesh. All ethnic groups will remain within a same national feeling for their motherland. Conflict will be minimized within the majority and minority groups. But government must have to ensure all fundamental rights of the minority groups. It is also the responsibility of the majority group to maintain a friendly relation with the minority. They should not practice their majority power against the minorities. They have to give same honor to the values and culture of the minority groups. Their cultural function and other festival should given priority. It is also the responsibility of the majority group that they would make them (minorities) feel as like themselves. If all of us can give concern properly on this issue then no conflict will exist. Then the Chakmas and other tribal ethnic groups will be the Bangladeshi and the Bengali will also be the Bangladeshi. Whole nation will represent the same identity. But for this, our political leaders should have to sacrifice their own interest for the sake of greater interest of the nation. If they could do so the controversy of nationality and many other issues might be solved easily.

Conclusion:

Conflicts in political perceptions create obstruction in the process of nation building. Such conflicts divide the population of a country and each side of the conflicts engages polemics over some issues. Such polemics sometimes turn into rivalries and clashes, and results in physical injuries, casualties like death, loss of properties, etc. Sometimes such conflict divide the nation psychologically which may also result in creation of a new state. On the contrary nationalism is a form of political concept which brings political legitimacy. It is manipulated for greater political integration and controlled over economic resources. It also acts as homogenizing and integrating force of multiethnic groups within a nation. For the unity of a nation existing with multiethnic groups, it is better to establish a national identity. And Bangladeshi nationalism is a political ideology that glorifies and promotes the citizens of the Bangladesh as a distinctive cultural and political nation within a territory. Reversibly, in a secular polity of Bangladesh the minorities will find proper political accommodation and security, which will in turn enhance the unity of the people and capability of the country, and for nation building process.

Nation building, a continuous process has to be operated perennially. For that national unity has to be ensured. To achieve that goal problems of the minorities have to be solved, national identity of the polity has to be reinstated, basis of Bangladeshi identity.

Sources:

  • ‘Anthropology’ by Carol R. Ember, Melvin Ember, & Peter N. Peregrine
  • ‘Nation Building Problems In Bangladesh: a socio-economic-political perspective’ by Khan Md. Lutfor Rahman
  • WIKIPEDIA
  • Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Vol. XVIII. No. 1. Fall 1994 (pp. 36-60)
  • Newspapers
  • Class lectures