Impact of Language on National Identity: An Analysis from Historical Perspective.

Abstract

The emergence of language as the sole basis of national identity is relatively new phenomenon. It appeared as a force to wreck with only in the post-colonial period in South Asia. This is nowhere more prominent then the new nation of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has transcended the barrier of religion and used language as its unifying force. Bangladesh was the earliest East Pakistan of the state of Pakistan. As is known Pakistan was created to satisfy the political aspiration of the Muslim minorities of India. East Pakistan was an integral part of that Pakistan which was created on the basis of religion. But Bangladesh overcame that religious affiliation and unified the people of East Pakistan on the basis of language to start a liberation struggle which ultimately succeeded in the creation of the new nation state of Bangladesh. Although language has always been an integral part of national identity to marked the beginning of a new era of linguistic nationalism. But Bangladesh was not the single example of the emergence of linguistic nationalism. There were parallel instances where language manifested itself in terms of movement and martyrdom. The two cases we have cited here are of Cachar in Assam and Manbhum in Bihar. KeywordsBangladesh, Cachar , language, liberation struggle and Manbhum.