ARI Working Paper Series

Although a large body of literature exists on the origins of nationalism, there seems to be a dearth of studies on the transformation of nationalism. Most writers have viewed nationalism as a process which having originated under certain historical conditions may decline or, at times, gain in virulence but not enough attention has been given to the changing bases or the processes through which the contents of nationalism change. By exploring the changes both in the global as well as the local socio-political conditions and ideological milieu, this paper will examine how the secularist nationalism in Bangladesh was replaced by an Islamic nationalism in less than a decade of the country’s independence in 1971.

By late 1908s, Bangladesh shedding its secular origin was transformed into a religious state having officially declared Islam as the state religion.  However, with the electoral victory of secularist Awami League in 1996 a return to the secularist bases of nationalism took place, which was quickly dismantled as soon as a coalition of Islamicist parties came to power in 2001. The pendulum like alternation between a secular and Islamic nationalism reflects deep ambivalence concerning the national identity of Bangladeshis.

The shifting basis of nationalism has profound impact on the consolidation of democracy and national development in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh case presents a fertile ground for rethinking transformation of nationalism and its links with globalization with potential contribution to enhancing our theoretical understanding of nationalism and its future.