Imagining a Bengali Nation: Trial, Tribulations and Trajectory a Bengali Nation-State in South Asia

Pre-colonial Indian subcontinent was characterized, like most medieval formation, by the co-existence of regions and empires. Eminent historian Niharranjan Ray identifies these regions as "cultural-ecological zones." From the framework of nationalist-discourse, all these communities had the potential to develop into independent nationalities. The cultural-ecological zones of Bengal had developed a trajectory of distinct community from 12th century onwards. However Earliest idea of a Bengali ‘nationality’ was seen in the writings of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay which, though had a Hinduist bias, searched for its own history on its path to a nationality. The anti-partition agitation in 1905-1912 saw the consolidation of the modern Bengali nationality. Despite the colonial attempt to divide the Hindus and Muslims it saw unprecedented solidarity of the Bengalis. The period was also notable for early signs of communal polarization. But the rise of the Krishak Praja Party saw a class based emergence of a nationality, the collapse of which left the both the leadership and the lower classes for an elusive utopia. While the peasants fought for the utopia through movements like Tanka and Tebhaga on the eve of independence, the elite searched their destiny outside India in the idea of a sovereign United Bengal. The failure of both led to the abject capitulation to the reality of Partition and creation of Pakistan (1947). However, the idea of an independent greater Bengal floated by Suhrawardy-Sarat Bose proved to be, as seen by a group of historians, a precursor of emergence of the sovereign state of Bangladesh in 1971 which completed the trajectory.