Religion, Culture and Identity

Large sections of Bangladeshis, particularly, the youth, are currently facing an identity crisis. Is there any conflict between our identity as Bengalis and as Muslims? A section of the popular media constantly attempts to emphasise our Bengali identity at the expense of our Muslim identity. Can we be Bengalis and devout Muslims at the same time? In order to address these issues properly, it is necessary to undertake academic research as to the constituent elements of our identity and culture.

As part of our research, we will examine the following issues:

• Role of religion in shaping our culture and identity.
• Importance of Bengali language and literature in constituting our identity.
• Muslim nationalism and Muslim consciousness in the history of the Bengali people, and their impact on our culture and identity.