Gendered Nationalism: Bangladeshi Narratives of the War of Liberation

Abstract

Within the frameworks of postcolonial analysis and gender studies, focused on the involvement of women in the struggle for independence of Bangladesh in 1971, this article presents and discusses three literary and filmic representations of Bangladesh’s War of Liberation. This analysis combines non-fictional and fictional perspectives and input and clearly confirms that, contrary to popular perceptions of predominantly male war heroes, women also participated in the struggle for independence. Women’s sacrifices and commitment to independence and justice have helped build Bangladesh and strengthen gender equality in the context of Bangladeshi nationalism. The analysis establishes the Bangladeshi Liberation War of 1971 as an aftermath of the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. This theme assumes particular importance upon the 50th anniversary of the War of Liberation in 2021 and the 75th anniversary of the Partition in 2022.