Becoming Bengal: Understanding Islam as Political Technology in East Bengal and Bangladesh (thesis)

Abstract

East Pakistan and Bangladesh's struggle to adequately understand the role that Islam plays within politics reflects this historical disconnect between the causes of Bengali Muslim political instability and potential solutions to those issues. The Awami League's use of language and ethnicity, instead of religion, as a political technology to build support reflected the contemporary grievances that Bengali Muslims had towards Pakistan as a religious, economic and political authority. However, this was an anomaly compared to how Islam and politics had historically related to each other, rather than rapid retreat from Islam. To this end, the fact that Bangladesh's early history saw authoritarian leaders exploit religion to amass support is not all that surprising. [From Conclusion]