The New Nation - Internet Edition

M. Mizanur Rahman

Culture signifies the art and objects of civilisation of a country and its people. It also specifies social, political and economic conditions of that country along with its sophisticated etiquette and ethical aspects of religious fervour. Wherein sociology pervades the human, it attaches a great importance to the religion of the people concerned. That religion may be varied in respect of the different communities living together as a nation. If that nation is culturally developed the communal harmony between different communities remains relative, peaceful and friendly. This has its global aspects too. By and large, the sphere of relativity between the people of the world is spreading liberally irrespective of social, religious and political differences from thousand of years. The most important human aspect is economic, that is trade and transactions. The expansion of global market for free trade is obviously an age-old human aspiration.

Though this traditionally cultural exchange between the nations is the go day it and day out. In terms of delivery of goods, transactions on 'give and take' policy appears to be as old as human civilisation takes its course that come up to modern age with some differences of panoply only. Thus the concept of human relations is mystically transcendental. It is not recorded how many nations had transactions with Bangladesh.

But therein lies the trace of race, religion, custom and many other items of business and trade transactions, cultural exchange in history along with alien relation to Bangladesh and its people.

However, we are to come back to our own base what we call Bangladesh, a sovereign nation state. We are Bangladeshi Bangalee nation. Our culture though age old, still we are to rethink about our culture in the light of its new form, modern form but we cannot do away with the old. Because, we keep our feet on the old foundation and stand and we look around and see our progress. We do not like to lag behind. We move forward.

Our past had glorious cultural heritage that we retell. Ours is not unilateral culture, it is multi-cultural state. Our language is Bangla (Bengali). But we speak the same language in different dialects, in different tones regionally throughout Bangladesh. Whatever may be our regionally spoken Bangla, except dialogues in literature, we used to write our Bengali language in the correct form. Our love for mother tongue Bangla knows no bounds. To establish this language as the states, language, heroic sons of this soil shed their blood and laid down their lives on 21st. February 1952. This led to the birth of a new nation after a War of Liberation in 1971. The very day of 21st February has been recognised internationally as the "Mother Language Day" by the United Nations and it is celebrated each year with due honour and sacred fervour.

It is a fact that in the backdrop of Muslim rule in Bengal for about 650 years, entire culture of this deltaic land of Bangladeshis based mainly on Islamic culture and tradition. However, the longest period was taken back by the Hindu and the Buddhist rulers over this plain, some sort of Hindu and Buddhist culture got its right/place here among the respective communities. They have had their cultural heritage and civilisation in a very limited space that they could spread within their jurisdiction Just after the advent of British rule in India on the fall of Nawab Siraj-ud-dowla (1730-1758) at Palashi in 1757, the European Christian missionaries took the opportunity to spread the religion of Christianity among the most impoverished people among the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist and they imprinted their cultural heritage along with other communities in Bengal. They have had Christian monastery, Cathedrals and various churches of different architectural forms having cultural heritage and their missionaries are active for spreading their faith throughout Bangladesh.

But none of the rulers from among the later communities could overwhelm the former and, as such, he supremacy of Islamic culture and tradition of the Muslim community pervades the plains of Bengal earlier in art, craft, music literature, architecture, food, dress, etc. Even nowadays the Indian national dress (Cap, coat, pajama (etc.) is made after Islamic traditional dress. Indian leaders like Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, Pandit Jawahalal Nehru and other Indian leaders and some famous litterateurs viz. Raja Ramimohan Roy, Bankim Chandra Chattapadhyaya, Rabindranath Tagore used to wear this Muslim traditional dress as befitting to their aristocracy. However, Tagore, being a bearded tall man at his age, had special fascination for Sherwani, pajama and round cap. He used to wear them occasionally. His Nobel prize-winning Gitanjali (songs offerings) is absolutely divine identity of Islamic fervour.

The Muslim rulers, especially the Mughals of India, earlier patronsed art, literature and music during their suzerainty. In the line of music the scriptural tradition they left so long is still in vogue. Similarly, when Sultan Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah ruled Bengal in 1342, he patronised art, literature, and music. Especially, he was famous for his taking initiative for the development of Bengali language to make it more comprehensive to the common people from the intricate form of Sanskrit.

When we visit the sites of works of arts and crafts of those rulers in Bangladesh, we become astonished how advanced they were at that period. For example, mosques along with their domes and minarets built so artfully and scientifically that make us spellbound till now! The most wonderful architectural works of saint Khan Jahan Ali is 60-dome-set mosque of the Bagerhat district of Bangladesh.

One will be amazed to see the excellent and wonderful works of art in making calligraphic words in Arabic form of Qoran-verses inscribed on the inner walls of the mosques. Nowadays the people of Bangladesh are imitating them to some extent but with gorgeous art works.

Earlier the Hindu landlords made some temples and tombs with the semblance of Muslim art-works. Some of their works bear the marks of wonder. One of these remarkable temples is built after the depiction of stories of the Hindu-epic Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is the temple of Kantanagar situated in a rural area about 25 kilometre north of Dinajpur town, has been described by a European as one of the finest temples of Bengal. It has been dated 1708-22, and built by Raja Prananath, as it has been said, a Hindu landlord of Dinajpur. The terra-cotta panels of the temple, which illustrate a typical form of Hindu architecture with a design in the form of wooden "Raths"(Chariots) arranged in tiers of bent cornices, mounted in corners with miniature curvilinear towers.

From the 2nd century B.C. to the 12 century A.D., the Buddhist rule has again and again alternated with Hindu rule in different regions of the sub-continent.

The Hindus against the Buddhists throughout these centuries waged both political and religious wars relentlessly. Ultimately, Buddhism was almost eliminated as a religious force in the sub-continent. The only area where the religion of the Lord Buddha has lingered is in the hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban in Bangladesh. Here Buddhism has left a rich heritage of art and culture. Buddhism, during its chequered position, has left a rich heritage of art and sculpture in the form of exquisite stone and metal images or Lord Buddha and fine stone and terracotta plaque that have been discovered from ancient ruins and preserved as valuable treasures in the museums of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Bogra etc. The most famous architectural remains of the Buddhist period so far discovered are at Mahasthangarh in Bogra, Paharpur in Naogaon and Mainamoti in Comilla. Till now some Buddhists live in Cox's Bazar and Pahartoli (in Patuakhali). Some Pagodas, temples and monasteries in all these places are preserved to exhort teachings of the Lord Buddha, the spirit of love and equality and non-violence among human beings in the society.

As the experts assume it, very recently discovered remains and ancient archeological finds of architectural works of various items of worth at Wari Bateshwar in Narsingdi district of Bangladesh is linking the early Greek civilisation.

We are proud of our Bengali literature, art, music and songs viz., devotional and folk songs. Our world famous litterateur and poet Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, the revolutionary and national poet, maestro, lyricist Kazi Nazrul Islam, great folk poet and lyricist Lalon Fakir, Hason Raja, great rural poet Jasimuddin, great artist Zainal Abedin, Quamrul Hassan, and Sahabuddin, most popular but great folk-singer Abbasuddin are worthy of their individual name and will remain ever brilliant images of Bangladeshi culture for ages to come. We are also proud of our Father of Bangladeshi Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (later, the prime minister - of Bangladesh) who struggled hard all his life to bring about sovereign Bangladesh on the map of the world. Also, the great hero soldier Ziaur Rahman (later, the President of Bangladesh) who geared up the Liberation War by declaration of independence of Bangladesh at a very crucial moment towards the birth of a new nation.

Bangladesh is throbbing now with vigorous economic activities viz., its. growth of agro-economy by various agricultural produces, livestock, fishery and horticulture beside tremendous growth of small and large-scale industries to meet the national as well as international needs.

Culturally, Bangladesh is advancing since its liberation from the yoke of the alien rulers. This is a nation-state of secular single entity. The works of litterateurs, artists, sculptors, sportsmen of Bangladesh appears to be abounding by and large. Bangladesh is on the march of progress and its people who are basically secular-minded remain in togetherness within harmonious entity.

Its culture is both national as well as international in character living with all people of the world in a policy of friendship to all and malice to none. It is now a well-built nation whose state policy is not to interfere in anyone's rightful interest and it does not like to be interfered also by anybody on earth. Its culture is sacred with love with and friendship mystically blended at heart and soul of humanism.