TORN BETWEEN THE NATION AND THE RELIGION: Part I
What is more effective a binder, of the two- namely the Nation or the Religion?
An attempt is made in this series of articles in two parts. Part I concentrats on experiences of what is now known as Bangladesh, its inhabitants and its outgoing migrants.
Erstwhile East Bengal got converted into Bangladesh, a new NATION-with its own name, a distinct and local fervor and flavor, was born in the toil and toll of tears and the blood. So called Muktivahini, with not only tacit but direct support from Indira Gandhi's "Practical India" performed the caesarean delivery. In the process and at least in the final analysis / ultimate outcome – India did play its part and paid for the delivery- as such and as well for the new Nation-State. To a certain extent, the situation resembled like formation of a linguistic state, but out of India in this particular instance.
This was in the background of a large part of population of that locale having experienced a brutal occupation perpetrated by "alien invaders", after 14th of August 1947 until its Mukti or Azadi – whatever you may wish to call. Ironically the invading rulers happened to be from a common religion- the ISLAM. The British invented Two Nation Theory that once gave birth to Pakistan- and helped in unification of its western wing and the east for a temporary period in the history- gradually made the Bengalis disenchanted and disillusioned by the hollowness of the religious doctrine of Pakistan's basis and of course the outrageous conduct of Punjabi Muslim leadership of Pakistani Army. The ultimate crackdown of the Pakistani military force made it clear to the ordinary citizens of Bangladesh, that Pakistani oligarchy with their perception of racial superiority and religious purity was not in consonance with lovers of art and good life. The superiority complex and the lordship behavior did not interest the local Muslims who spoke and sung Bengali language and ate rice instead of wheat.
In fact the secular approach of Bengali Muslims had been more on Pan Indian lines- arising out of the common historical fact that a substantially large portion of Muslims in Indian sub-continent- (and even extended to entire SAARC, if you so wish), have been descendants of a converted Hindu ancestor-age living peacefully together but for occasional and minor familial type of skirmishes.
The liberation of Bangladesh was instrumental in more ways and reasons than one for Bangladeshi people to move out, to migrate. Hindus earlier and the Muslims after 1947, migrated for greener pastures or otherwise. Sizeable chunk did move in herds to India- particularly those who had relatives including distant relatives and friends/well wishers in what is now known as Indian Republic where Muslims comprise almost one fifth of the population.
A good number of them to North Eastern States of India and in that part of Bengal that even after a lapse of almost a human life-time, prefers to calls itself as West Bengal, in a feeble effort to continue to remember its eastern part: a part of Bengal that got submerged somewhere in the political geography and is now not locatable as such anywhere- yet traceable for definite, in the linguistic realism pronounced as Bangladesh .
There has been a continuing history of Bengali sport enthusiasts, who fiercely support, either the East Bengal or the Mohun Bagan, the two famous soccer teams / clubs- said to have been originated / aligned to the two parts of pre independence Bengal- that was aggressively visible and pronounced in Calcutta (now Kolkata), of 60's and 70's, when the writer went for education during his formative years and settled there for tow decades. They argued and fought jealously with each others for their respective club-fan following but strictly not otherwise.
The Bangladeshis moved into other metros as well and have by now small busteess of their own many of the Indian cities - mostly working in unorganized sectors and performing low-skill jobs like plumbing etc and occasionally doing manual labor like Riksha pullers.
Hindu-East-Bengalis from upper classes had starting moved out earlier and include by now elite-families and professionals in West Bengal including Kolkata. Of those who had not moved earlier, many moved later / now, like /with their Muslims brothern to India- and they have been continuing here without getting confronted with a crisis of identity as such- even while facing certain taints.
Many of the semi literate ones went temporarily to find menial works in the Middle East. They have been getting absorbed there as very-distant poor cousins – that are required by oil-rich cousins for performing routine jobs. Preferred over people from other faiths- as one can observe from the job vacancy advertisements appearing in local Indian dailies- but they are treated more or less as domestic servants even while performing skilled jobs.
A good number of educated folks however were attracted to and thought of embracing the beautiful looking Western societies, including American, as their own. After migrating to the Western world, initially they moved along with their own people, and others including Indians Pakistanis and other South Asian migrants.
However at some point, the Bangladeshi Muslims, like people from quite a few other Muslim majority countries were / are confronted by a crisis – one that of identity. Who I am or what I am- are the questions that stare them in their minds? Muslims or Americans or Bangladeshis or Muslim-Americans or American-Muslims etc? While local Americans club them with and as Asian Muslims. Most of these Bangladeshi immigrants in America do not have much sympathy for Islamist parties back home. However their uncertain future in a Western society, over a period, germinates a positive view about the US based Islamist organizations and Bangladeshi Muslims gradually strive to cling to the religious aspect of their self identity.
The Saudi financed (and therefore) influenced places of worship, Arabic schools for children operating on Sundays and weekly Shalala sessions gradually pull the Bangaldeshis away from by now-distant and past cultural influences.
The influences that encompassed among others the patriotism of Nazrul Islam' exhortations, the romantic universal appeal of Rabindar Sangeet, philosophic nuances of verses from Fakir Baul Lalon Shah and modern poetry of Jibanananda Das. These and all others that united the Bengal as Bengal
In reality, the new generation of the Bangladeshi-Americans, gradually tend to lose connection to their forefathers' secularity of Bangla past. In this backdrop, the US based Islamist groups vie with each other to attract, and retain this sizeable and big audience as a grab. Gradually, more and more Bangladeshi Muslims living in America move closer to and develop fellow-feeing and brotherhood about groups like American Muslim Alliance (AMA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Development of a perception about such organizations as the savior's in-need and this may probably be in-deed as well, appears to be natural and common phenomena.
The two logics can come into play. Though with a past that is shrouded in controversy and many of its leaders having unclean background, CAIR is yet perceived as a civil rights organization that can be relied upon for eventual help should a need arise to an individual and conditions go out of hand for no fault of his/her own. Many of the Bangladeshi parents of Muslim background remain fearful that their children may become too much westernized. Their inner instinct propels them for wishing a cultural continuation of /in their children, particularly the issues like girls remaining away from too much of western influence characterized by sexual promiscuity, dependence on drinks, non-concern for advice from elders and also the loss of faith in Allah, the almighty. Thus, for these issues, they take shelter of organizations like Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and others of the like. ICNA, for instance may also appear as a vehicle to salvage and resurrection of the Muslim identity.
Islamic fundamentalist leaning front organizations get huge contributions from oil-rich Mid-East and Arab countries. To them Asian migrants to US, including from Bangladesh are welcome for providing numerical legitimacy that is derived from locally settled Muslim with international connections.
When a situation points to a Muslim fundamental anomalous behavior on the part of his chosen organization or for that matter any Muslim organization as such, a confused Bangladeshi-American of Muslim heritage, defends within his mind such a phenomena, and then to his/her world world, as an anti-Muslim propaganda. Controversial past of fundamentalist organization thus gets lost to such new devotees from the land of Bengal.
When a high profile ICNA leader's alleged war criminal role in the Pakistani army occupied Bangladesh came to be open, many Bangladeshi-Americans thought this could be an aberration. Consequently, Bangladeshi-Americans of Muslim origin did reflect a serious duality in their world view. On the one hand, they have high regard for secularism in their ancestral land; on the other they strengthen Islamist groups in a secular society like in USA. Many of them may abhor Jamat-i-Islami in their native Bangladesh. But they feel at ease while attending congregations organized by ICNA, ISNA's- the counterparts of Bangladesh Jamaat.
Bangladeshis, including the migrants from that country spread and settled in all nooks and corners of the world do celebrate the National Independence day in the month of March.
This is also the month when Pakistan's brutal army unleashed a reign of terror in their ancestral homeland. Government of Bangladesh had declared to start war-crime trials from March this year.
Many of the alleged war criminals belong to the Islamist party Jamat-i-Islami and their death squads, namely, Al-Badr and Al-Shams. The leaders of Jamat-i-Islami of Bangladesh sought overseas support against the upcoming trial and found an alleged war criminal in USA as a ready volunteer who initiated a press conference on Bangladesh that was named as "American Muslim Taskforce News Conference on Human Rights Violations in Bangladesh" at the Press Club In Washington D.C.
The said "American Muslim Task Force" was publicized as an all encompassing organization for American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), American Muslim Alliance (AMA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Student Association-National (MSA-N), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), United Muslims of America (UMA), American Muslims for Civic Engagement (AMCE), Islamic Educational Council of Orange County (IECOC), the Islam etc. In short, this was a conglomeration of Wahabi influenced Islamist organizations in America.
A sizable percentage of Bangladeshi-Americans who wanted to see the Jamaati war criminals tried in their homeland, had sympathetic view about one or more than one of the above organizations. However, the 22nd March press conference had a miserably thin attendance; only about a score of persons comprised the audience. The low turnout at the Press Conference, by default, indicated that all those so-called Islam loving organizations had got influenced by Bangladesh Jamaat and agenda of CAIR, ICNA, ISNA, MPAC etc.
They appeared to be friendly to the Jamaati war criminals, the killer machines of 1971 in Bangladesh. That these groups are out there to see Bangladesh as a fundamentalist utopia became obvious to migrants' mind and that was not a matter palatable to them and their grounding... As such the Basmati plan did not find many takers and Conference was a flop. The Nation was one-up, over the religion at least on that occasion.
What is more effective a binder, of the two- namely the Nation or the Religion?
An attempt is made in this series of articles in two parts. Part I concentrats on experiences of what is now known as Bangladesh, its inhabitants and its outgoing migrants.
Erstwhile East Bengal got converted into Bangladesh, a new NATION-with its own name, a distinct and local fervor and flavor, was born in the toil and toll of tears and the blood. So called Muktivahini, with not only tacit but direct support from Indira Gandhi's "Practical India" performed the caesarean delivery. In the process and at least in the final analysis / ultimate outcome – India did play its part and paid for the delivery- as such and as well for the new Nation-State. To a certain extent, the situation resembled like formation of a linguistic state, but out of India in this particular instance.
This was in the background of a large part of population of that locale having experienced a brutal occupation perpetrated by "alien invaders", after 14th of August 1947 until its Mukti or Azadi – whatever you may wish to call. Ironically the invading rulers happened to be from a common religion- the ISLAM. The British invented Two Nation Theory that once gave birth to Pakistan- and helped in unification of its western wing and the east for a temporary period in the history- gradually made the Bengalis disenchanted and disillusioned by the hollowness of the religious doctrine of Pakistan's basis and of course the outrageous conduct of Punjabi Muslim leadership of Pakistani Army. The ultimate crackdown of the Pakistani military force made it clear to the ordinary citizens of Bangladesh, that Pakistani oligarchy with their perception of racial superiority and religious purity was not in consonance with lovers of art and good life. The superiority complex and the lordship behavior did not interest the local Muslims who spoke and sung Bengali language and ate rice instead of wheat.
In fact the secular approach of Bengali Muslims had been more on Pan Indian lines- arising out of the common historical fact that a substantially large portion of Muslims in Indian sub-continent- (and even extended to entire SAARC, if you so wish), have been descendants of a converted Hindu ancestor-age living peacefully together but for occasional and minor familial type of skirmishes.
The liberation of Bangladesh was instrumental in more ways and reasons than one for Bangladeshi people to move out, to migrate. Hindus earlier and the Muslims after 1947, migrated for greener pastures or otherwise. Sizeable chunk did move in herds to India- particularly those who had relatives including distant relatives and friends/well wishers in what is now known as Indian Republic where Muslims comprise almost one fifth of the population.
A good number of them to North Eastern States of India and in that part of Bengal that even after a lapse of almost a human life-time, prefers to calls itself as West Bengal, in a feeble effort to continue to remember its eastern part: a part of Bengal that got submerged somewhere in the political geography and is now not locatable as such anywhere- yet traceable for definite, in the linguistic realism pronounced as Bangladesh .
There has been a continuing history of Bengali sport enthusiasts, who fiercely support, either the East Bengal or the Mohun Bagan, the two famous soccer teams / clubs- said to have been originated / aligned to the two parts of pre independence Bengal- that was aggressively visible and pronounced in Calcutta (now Kolkata), of 60's and 70's, when the writer went for education during his formative years and settled there for tow decades. They argued and fought jealously with each others for their respective club-fan following but strictly not otherwise.
The Bangladeshis moved into other metros as well and have by now small busteess of their own many of the Indian cities - mostly working in unorganized sectors and performing low-skill jobs like plumbing etc and occasionally doing manual labor like Riksha pullers.
Hindu-East-Bengalis from upper classes had starting moved out earlier and include by now elite-families and professionals in West Bengal including Kolkata. Of those who had not moved earlier, many moved later / now, like /with their Muslims brothern to India- and they have been continuing here without getting confronted with a crisis of identity as such- even while facing certain taints.
Many of the semi literate ones went temporarily to find menial works in the Middle East. They have been getting absorbed there as very-distant poor cousins – that are required by oil-rich cousins for performing routine jobs. Preferred over people from other faiths- as one can observe from the job vacancy advertisements appearing in local Indian dailies- but they are treated more or less as domestic servants even while performing skilled jobs.
A good number of educated folks however were attracted to and thought of embracing the beautiful looking Western societies, including American, as their own. After migrating to the Western world, initially they moved along with their own people, and others including Indians Pakistanis and other South Asian migrants.
However at some point, the Bangladeshi Muslims, like people from quite a few other Muslim majority countries were / are confronted by a crisis – one that of identity. Who I am or what I am- are the questions that stare them in their minds? Muslims or Americans or Bangladeshis or Muslim-Americans or American-Muslims etc? While local Americans club them with and as Asian Muslims. Most of these Bangladeshi immigrants in America do not have much sympathy for Islamist parties back home. However their uncertain future in a Western society, over a period, germinates a positive view about the US based Islamist organizations and Bangladeshi Muslims gradually strive to cling to the religious aspect of their self identity.
The Saudi financed (and therefore) influenced places of worship, Arabic schools for children operating on Sundays and weekly Shalala sessions gradually pull the Bangaldeshis away from by now-distant and past cultural influences.
The influences that encompassed among others the patriotism of Nazrul Islam' exhortations, the romantic universal appeal of Rabindar Sangeet, philosophic nuances of verses from Fakir Baul Lalon Shah and modern poetry of Jibanananda Das. These and all others that united the Bengal as Bengal
In reality, the new generation of the Bangladeshi-Americans, gradually tend to lose connection to their forefathers' secularity of Bangla past. In this backdrop, the US based Islamist groups vie with each other to attract, and retain this sizeable and big audience as a grab. Gradually, more and more Bangladeshi Muslims living in America move closer to and develop fellow-feeing and brotherhood about groups like American Muslim Alliance (AMA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Development of a perception about such organizations as the savior's in-need and this may probably be in-deed as well, appears to be natural and common phenomena.
The two logics can come into play. Though with a past that is shrouded in controversy and many of its leaders having unclean background, CAIR is yet perceived as a civil rights organization that can be relied upon for eventual help should a need arise to an individual and conditions go out of hand for no fault of his/her own. Many of the Bangladeshi parents of Muslim background remain fearful that their children may become too much westernized. Their inner instinct propels them for wishing a cultural continuation of /in their children, particularly the issues like girls remaining away from too much of western influence characterized by sexual promiscuity, dependence on drinks, non-concern for advice from elders and also the loss of faith in Allah, the almighty. Thus, for these issues, they take shelter of organizations like Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and others of the like. ICNA, for instance may also appear as a vehicle to salvage and resurrection of the Muslim identity.
Islamic fundamentalist leaning front organizations get huge contributions from oil-rich Mid-East and Arab countries. To them Asian migrants to US, including from Bangladesh are welcome for providing numerical legitimacy that is derived from locally settled Muslim with international connections.
When a situation points to a Muslim fundamental anomalous behavior on the part of his chosen organization or for that matter any Muslim organization as such, a confused Bangladeshi-American of Muslim heritage, defends within his mind such a phenomena, and then to his/her world world, as an anti-Muslim propaganda. Controversial past of fundamentalist organization thus gets lost to such new devotees from the land of Bengal.
When a high profile ICNA leader's alleged war criminal role in the Pakistani army occupied Bangladesh came to be open, many Bangladeshi-Americans thought this could be an aberration. Consequently, Bangladeshi-Americans of Muslim origin did reflect a serious duality in their world view. On the one hand, they have high regard for secularism in their ancestral land; on the other they strengthen Islamist groups in a secular society like in USA. Many of them may abhor Jamat-i-Islami in their native Bangladesh. But they feel at ease while attending congregations organized by ICNA, ISNA's- the counterparts of Bangladesh Jamaat.
Bangladeshis, including the migrants from that country spread and settled in all nooks and corners of the world do celebrate the National Independence day in the month of March.
This is also the month when Pakistan's brutal army unleashed a reign of terror in their ancestral homeland. Government of Bangladesh had declared to start war-crime trials from March this year.
Many of the alleged war criminals belong to the Islamist party Jamat-i-Islami and their death squads, namely, Al-Badr and Al-Shams. The leaders of Jamat-i-Islami of Bangladesh sought overseas support against the upcoming trial and found an alleged war criminal in USA as a ready volunteer who initiated a press conference on Bangladesh that was named as "American Muslim Taskforce News Conference on Human Rights Violations in Bangladesh" at the Press Club In Washington D.C.
The said "American Muslim Task Force" was publicized as an all encompassing organization for American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), American Muslim Alliance (AMA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Student Association-National (MSA-N), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), United Muslims of America (UMA), American Muslims for Civic Engagement (AMCE), Islamic Educational Council of Orange County (IECOC), the Islam etc. In short, this was a conglomeration of Wahabi influenced Islamist organizations in America.
A sizable percentage of Bangladeshi-Americans who wanted to see the Jamaati war criminals tried in their homeland, had sympathetic view about one or more than one of the above organizations. However, the 22nd March press conference had a miserably thin attendance; only about a score of persons comprised the audience. The low turnout at the Press Conference, by default, indicated that all those so-called Islam loving organizations had got influenced by Bangladesh Jamaat and agenda of CAIR, ICNA, ISNA, MPAC etc.
They appeared to be friendly to the Jamaati war criminals, the killer machines of 1971 in Bangladesh. That these groups are out there to see Bangladesh as a fundamentalist utopia became obvious to migrants' mind and that was not a matter palatable to them and their grounding... As such the Basmati plan did not find many takers and Conference was a flop. The Nation was one-up, over the religion at least on that occasion.
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