Identity Politics and the National Integration of Bangladesh, 1947-2015

In modern parlance, "national integration" refers to the process of cultivating a distinct and unified sense of self and national identity within a community that is comprised of individuals who come from a variety of backgrounds and in which everyone has the same opportunity to realize their full potential. It cannot be denied how important it is for a nation to maintain its stability. Reviewing the literature, this article highlights many turns of events in the political arena of Bangladesh. Each event is highly influenced by identity-driven political activism. Among these incidents, secular and far-right religious ideologies clashed. None of them succeeded in uprooting the other. On the contrary, political parties have domesticated both ideologies and patronized them, which has resulted in polarization and slowed down the pace of national integration. Keyword: Identity Politics, Polarization, National Integration, Nation Building, and Secularism