A Tale of Two Bengals: Understanding the Cultural Ties Between India and Bangladesh

India’s pivotal involvement in the liberation of what was formerly East Pakistan occurred over four decades ago, marking its status as the first nation to officially acknowledge the newly established Bangladesh. The independence movement in Bangladesh was primarily fuelled by the Bengali people’s desire to affirm their ethno-linguistic identity, which stood in contrast to the Urdu-speaking, predominantly Muslim identity imposed by the authoritarian regime in West Pakistan. The creation of Pakistan was underpinned by the two-nation theory, which posited that Muslim identity would overshadow all other facets of collective identity; failure to do so was perceived as an existential threat to the nation. Consequently, the cultural and linguistic practices of the Bengali population were viewed by the Pakistani authorities as ‘Indian’ and were thus subjected to suppression. This violent attempt to stifle the natural communal ties and shared origins of the Bengali people on both sides of the border ultimately led to Pakistan losing half its territory, as the resilient Bengalis revolted for their right to celebrate their culture and language. The bond forged through Bengali culture and language has remained strong between the Bengali communities in India and Bangladesh, manifesting in robust political, diplomatic, and economic relations between these neighbouring countries.

The British colonial authorities in India viewed the Bengali intelligentsia as a potential threat and consequently enacted their ‘divide and rule’ strategy by partitioning the undivided province along religious lines in 1905. The Bengali population did not passively accept this painful division; instead, they rose in revolt against the colonial regime, demanding their expulsion and energising the national independence movement. This partition significantly altered the cultural and psychological landscape of Bengal, giving rise to narratives of suffering and anger reflected in contemporary cultural works. Notably, Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’, composed during this tumultuous period, was later adopted as the national anthem of Bangladesh. Tagore, revered as the Bard of Bengal, became a prominent figure on both sides of Bengal and symbolised resistance and linguistic pride during the Bhasha Andolan (Language Movement) in East Pakistan during the 1950s. The Pakistani government initially banned Rabindrasangeet but quickly reversed this decision in response to public outcry. Beyond mere linguistic pride, Tagore’s political, philosophical, and spiritual ideologies have profoundly influenced Bengali identity, fostering unity, internationalism, and secularism. Other notable Bengali composers such as Atul Prasad Sen with ‘A-mori Bangla Bhaasha’, Kazi Nazrul Islam with ‘Karar oi louho kapat’, and Salil Chowdhury with ‘Bangla Amar Bangla’ also inspired fervour during both the Language Movement and the 1971 liberation war. More recently, during student protests against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, demonstrators sang Dwijendralal Roy’s ‘Dhono dhanno pushpe bhora/ amader ei boshundhora‘, a song celebrating the beauty of their homeland and reflecting nationalist sentiments against British colonial rule.

Kazi Nazrul Islam stands out as a prominent figure representing the cultural unity between India and Bangladesh. Renowned as a poet, his contributions extended to journalism and political activism against British colonial rule, which earned him the designation of ‘Bidrohi Kobi’ or ‘Rebel Poet’. He is also credited with introducing ghazals into the Bengali literary tradition. In 1972, following the establishment of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman invited Nazrul to reside in the new nation and designated him as the national poet. As recalled by his daughter-in-law, Kalyani Kazi, “It was a source of pride [for the people of Bangladesh] that he [Nazrul] was living there.”

The cultural connection between India and Bangladesh is vividly illustrated in Bengali cinema, which has greatly benefited from the contributions of notable figures like Satyajit Ray and Zahir Raihan. Ray’s films, including *Pather Panchali* and the Apu Trilogy, brought the everyday experiences of Bengali life to an international audience, while Raihan’s works, such as Jibon Theke Newa (set against the backdrop of the Language Movement) and Stop Genocide (which highlighted the atrocities faced by Bengalis in East Pakistan prior to their liberation), aimed to forge a cohesive and distinct Bengali identity. Other distinguished filmmakers include Ritwik Ghatak, whose films like Meghe Dhaka Tara and Komal Gandharpowerfully portrayed the traumas of Partition and the plight of refugees, and Mrinal Sen, who addressed socio-political issues in his Calcutta Trilogy, both deeply resonating with the shared consciousness of audiences in both nations.

The cultural connection between the Bengali people is vividly exemplified by the Bauls, or wandering minstrels, who thrived in the 18th and 19th centuries across present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bauls articulate a vision of a society free from caste and class distinctions, transcending the limitations imposed by contemporary religious structures. The revered Baul mystic Lalon Shah Fakir remains a symbol of spiritual transcendence and humanism, with his philosophy combining Hindu and Islamic principles in a deeply personal quest for the Divine, which is a fundamental aspect of Bengali culture. His widespread appeal on both sides of the border, highlighted by his song Milan Hobe Koto Dine, underscores his role as a unifying figure between the two Bengals. This inherent eclecticism, syncretism, and sense of fraternity are evident in communal celebrations such as Durga Puja and Eid, which unite Bengalis across different faiths. A poignant illustration of cross-border camaraderie occurs on the final day of Durga Puja when residents from Taki (West Bengal) and Satkhira (Bangladesh) gather at the international border to jointly immerse idols in the river. Bengali cuisine exemplifies the intertwined cultural heritage of the Bengali people, featuring sweets such as sandesh, rasgulla, and mishti doi that evoke their origins in undivided Bengal. Hilsa, or ilish fish, is a vital component of Bengali culinary traditions, particularly during Durga Puja, with Bangladesh exporting this delicacy to India. Following the students’ movement in Bangladesh that resulted in the ousting of long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the nation’s founder ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, many analysts expressed concerns regarding the future of India-Bangladesh relations, given Hasina’s close alliance with India. However, such perspectives often overlook the profound historical, cultural, spiritual, and economic connections that bind the people of both Bengals. Despite being citizens of two separate political entities, the Bengalis in India and Bangladesh share a deep-rooted bond formed through centuries of coexistence and mutual enrichment, which will continue to positively influence political relations between the two nations, as it has historically.