On coming 16th December, Bengalis (of Bangladesh) will remember the 37th year of independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan. It may seem monotonous to religiously recall this day; a bit like Christmas with recurring Christmas jingles throughout the month but without the presents to compensate for. However, the event of Bangladesh marks a significant day in the history of Bengal and the end to a sad 9 months prior to establishing a proud and a patriotic nation. Yet after the same 37 years, we continue to strive as a nation, unable to put our differences aside and work collectively. A certain portion of us (Bengalis) take shelter under our orthodox beliefs, perhaps sometimes to save our backs for our misdeeds.
A short telefilm, based on the same name given for this blog post, inspired me to write about my fragmented country of origin. When an expatriate (of native ancestry) visits the place, it is of course far from utopia. Initially, there is not so much of a sense of belonging. But eventually, some may even love this country. It’s like Hajj for a culturally-deprived Bengali. Although, individual experiences will probably differ.
My subject is more on the ranks of diversity, based on one colour, and yet many degrees of thoughts. The best example I can give to you is about the mullah (Religious man) who lives next door in Bangladesh. This guy is rather amusing; he refuses to stare at women whilst speaking to them, is pretty orthodox, and has an interest-free current account at Standard Chartered (An elitist bank in Bangladesh, which many of you may know, charges interest on other account packages) as opposed to having one in an Islamic Bank (which does not accept interest per se). In this instance, the secular individuals would be ultra-critical of Mr Mullah. Then again, on the other end of the spectrum, is the Bengali who flies off on a honeymoon to another Islamic nation – Malaysia. I would like to quote her humorous conversation with the Malay waiter, as she placed an order for two, “Excuse me. Can we order items that do not contain Pork/Bacon because we’re Muslims? And can we have two bottles of beers, please?!!” On this note, Mr Mullah will be ultra-critical of Ms Honeymoon. But neither Mullah nor Ms Honeymoon hold a monopoly over what it is to be a Bangladeshi. Heritage of Bengal goes a long a way back, and thus, identity should not be confined to a mere 37 years.
Both Mullah and Ms Honeymoon are Bengalis living in a nation that comprises of a cosmopolitan and religiously indigenous population equally, but it is a nation that is not defined by multiculturalism as is Britain. When in Bangladesh, it seems okay to be different. Whilst the definition of being a Bengali might be loose, it is in that definition, Bangladesh – a kedgeree nation – has its own unique spot on the world map.
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