Sanjida Khatun: The architect of Bangali cultural awakening

Sanjida Khatun was bid farewell amidst the tears of her devoted followers, admirers, and disciples. The sincere outpouring of grief from those who gathered around her at Chhayanaut Bhaban or the Shaheed Minar illuminates her profound significance in society. She was fittingly honoured in her departure through the Rabindra Sangeet, to which she had almost dedicated her life.

In her long life of 92 years, regrets likely held little sway. The genesis of the Bangali nationalist movement in the 1960s, the celebration of the New Year, and the nationwide fervour to preserve Bangali identity during the suppression of Rabindra Sangeet in the Pakistan years—all these collective endeavours culminated in the liberation struggle of the Bangalis.

It would be no exaggeration to assert that Chhayanaut, Wahidul Haque, Sanjida Khatun, and numerous others were the esteemed cultural architects of Bangali nationhood, a nation that initially welcomed Pakistan in 1947 but began to turn away in the 1960s, gradually progressing towards the war for independence.

Political scientist Rounaq Jahan aptly noted the unprecedented nature of Bangladesh's independence, a fact we often overlook. As a post-colonial state after World War II, we were the first to achieve freedom through struggle. Many other nations in the Third World have endured years of struggle without attaining independence. Yet, we lacked prior preparation for armed conflict, having hardly any concept of war, let alone practical experience of it.

The majority of the populace were farmers, literacy rates were low, and the poverty rate was hovering above 80%. The 1971 Liberation War was truly a people's war, and victory was possible due to the unified national sentiment for independence. Sanjida Khatun was one of those great souls who was instrumental in fanning the flames of that Bangali nationalism, the unity of which had been forged over the preceding two decades through the nationalist movement.

Cultural awakening

The Language Movement of 1952 definitively illuminated the cultural distinctiveness of East Bengal's Bangalis from their West Pakistani counterparts. This burgeoning sense of difference spurred various cultural movements from the 1950s onwards. Bangali nationalist inspiration began to manifest across all artistic domains, including fine arts, music, literature, and cinema. This led to the gradual establishment of Bangali cultural hegemony or dominance. Sanjida Khatun and her cohorts embodied the organic intellectuals who facilitated this hegemony, as theorised by Antonio Gramsci.

While Pakistan was founded on religious nationalism, Bangladesh owes her origin to linguistic nationalism, making it South Asia's first language-based state. Simultaneously, as a post-colonial entity, Bangladesh is the most recent in South Asia.

Shubho Basu, a history professor at McGill University in Canada, posits that Bangladesh's creation was an expression of the post-colonial revolution. The spirit of this revolution served as the driving force behind the Liberation War, empowering the Bangalis to achieve victory. Through the linguistic nationalist movement, Bangalis acquired a new sense of identity—one that was secular, modern, and worldly.

Professor Basu highlights the catalytic role of literature and culture in this nationalist movement and its successful culmination. Its roots, however, extend further back. He recognises the influence of Kolkata-based newspapers like Moslem Bharat, Nabayug, and Langal during the anti-colonial era. He identifies two streams in the literary endeavours of Bangali Muslims. In the company of Muzaffar Ahmad, Kazi Nazrul Islam studied the history of class struggle and embraced the ideals of communism, subsequently producing inclusive, syncretic literature aimed at establishing an exploitation-free society. Nazrul pioneered literature centred on the lives of ordinary people, a phenomenon Professor Basu terms the 'democratisation of Bangali literature,' a movement embraced by both Hindu and Muslim communities.

Conversely, the modernist perspective found expression in literary works such as Syed Waliullah's Lalsalu and Chander Amabasya, Abu Ishaq's Surya-Dighal Bari, and Shahidullah Kaiser's Sareng Bou. Concurrently, the art world felt the profound impact of Zainul Abedin's paintings. His sketches depicting the lives of Palestinian refugees or the harrowing images of those afflicted by the devastating 1970 cyclone and famine heightened Bangali awareness of their rights.

The surge of creativity in the fifties and sixties extended beyond literature to other artistic mediums. The emergence of cinema in Bangali, replacing Urdu, was particularly significant, expressing Bangali distinctiveness and the yearning for nationhood. The film industry in Dhaka was more vibrant than the industry in West Pakistan, while the Pakistani film industry still regrets the loss of East Pakistan. The increasing popularity of Bangali cinema further propelled the movement towards establishing a separate state rooted in Bangali nationalist consciousness.

Dhaka emerged as a cinematic hub during this period. The lives of the people of this Bengal began to find representation on screen. Abdul Jabbar Khan's Mukh O Mukhosh (1956) marked a significant turning point, introducing depictions of rural Bangladeshi life. Subsequently, films like Jabbar Khan's Jowar Elo, Salauddin's Rupban, Zahir Raihan's Behula, and Jibon Theke Neya, inspired by the 1969 mass uprising, galvanised Bangalis with nationalist fervour.

Furthermore, the establishment of organisations like Shikha Gosthi and Renaissance Society fostered an intellectual liberation movement among liberal-minded Muslims in East Pakistan. The Muslim community actively participated in the modernisation of Bangali culture. Concepts such as modernity, secularism, life-affirmation, and humanism, inspired by the European Renaissance, found their place in literature. Thus, the democratisation of literature, coupled with the influence of modernity, gradually prepared the Bangali Muslim psyche against internal colonialism, fostering an enthusiasm for Bangali cultural practices and solidifying their stance in favour of Bangali nationalism.

Sanjida Khatun and her cohorts, in essence, wove all these threads together. During one phase of the Pakistan era, even the names 'Bangladesh' or 'Bangla' were virtually at risk of oblivion. Nationalist cultural practices, however, ensured their survival. Eventually, Bangabandhu himself began using the name 'Bangladesh,' rendering the suppression of the Bangali people's deep-seated aspirations impossible.

Well, it's crucial to remember that nothing in this world is immune to criticism, and nationalism is no exception. Yet, it's equally true that without some form of national identity, humanity might well have perpetually descended into tribal chaos, fractured by tribal and ethnic conflicts. That, however, is a discussion for another time.

Rabindra jayanti and new year celebration

The courageous democratic student movement and cultural awakening that commenced in Dhaka in early February 1962 against Pakistan's military regime subsequently broadened, igniting an extraordinary mass awakening. Nationalist and left-leaning political parties (Awami League, NAP, the banned Communist Party, and others) are widely acknowledged to have played a significant role in these events.

Simultaneously, the prominent student organisations of that era (Chhatra Union, Chhatra League, etc.) jointly forged a powerful movement. In Sanjida Khatun's own words: "The Pakistanis wanted to transform us into Pakistani Muslims, refusing to acknowledge our Bangali identity. Recognising this, we introduced Nazrul Geeti, Rabindra Sangeet, various musical instruments, and raga music in our school. Following independence, we began incorporating folk songs." Essentially, Sanjida Khatun dedicated her entire life to embodying and celebrating her Bangali identity. When the Pakistani authorities attempted to ban Rabindra Sangeet, Sanjida Khatun and her cohorts actively propagated its practice.

Regarding the significance of Rabindra practice, Sanjida Khatun stated: "Those of us who have strived to embrace Rabindranath have inherently upheld his values. Furthermore, we haven't encountered such profound insights into independence from any other source." She articulated: "Does my country truly become mine merely by virtue of geographical boundaries? No. However forcefully you declare this land your own, it will only truly be yours when you reach out to its people, empower them to be self-reliant. Only when they stand tall, fortified by their strength, will this land become their own. You must nurture and cultivate this land with your care and labour to truly make it yours."

To empower individuals, she established Nalanda in 2001 following the bomb attack at the New Year's celebration. She also championed various movements, including the Bratachari movement, all ultimately aimed at awakening the inherent strength within people.

Concerning the New Year celebration at Ramna Batamul, Sanjida Khatun recalled: "We began organising events at Ramna Batamul in 1967. We didn't encounter significant opposition at that time. Pohela Boishakh serves as a culturally significant occasion for us to raise national consciousness. Initially, attendance was sparse, but those who did join us did so with profound sincerity. During the Liberation War, as we sang, we came to understand that culture is not entirely politically neutral. While we recognise culture as a powerful movement, the political movement is equally significant. Before that, I had not been involved in any of the Six-Point or Eleven-Point demands. I am fundamentally a person of song. I never truly understood or engaged in politics."

Despite her disavowal of politics, the reality remains that just as the Six-Point Programme served as the charter for the Bangali nation's political and economic liberation, so too did Rabindra Jayanti, the practice of Rabindra Sangeet, and the New Year's celebrations function as the charter for cultural liberation. This represented a form of cultural repatriation for the people of this region. In the words of writer Badruddin Umar: "The burgeoning cultural consciousness among the East Pakistani Muslim middle class is neither entirely novel nor unexpected. Furthermore, it demonstrates that, akin to the natural world, human beings and their society adhere to certain immutable laws. However, while this line of thought may not be entirely new, it possesses considerable novelty in the sense that those among whom it is now developing were not previously accustomed or prepared to think in this manner.

What does this signify? In response to this question, it can be stated that the religiously Muslim East Pakistanis, primarily the feudal and middle-class Muslims, never genuinely considered India or Bangladesh as their homeland. Due to their class interests, they consistently resisted establishing sincere connections with their homeland, a resistance that intensified as a result of the British imperialist policy of divide and rule." (Cultural Communalism)

Sanjida Khatun has departed. While mortality is universal, her passing on 25th March carries a particular poignancy; it was on that fateful night in 1971 that the Bangali Liberation War commenced. Chhayanaut may also endure as an institution. However, the fervent dedication to empowering individuals with self-belief, which she so deeply championed, appears to have waned considerably. There are few indications of its resurgence in the current climate.

Protik Bardhan is a senior sub-editor at the Daily Prothom Alo. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.