In Bangladesh, Urdu Language and Literature Survive Only In ‘Bihari’ Refugee Camps
Urdu
Speaking Refugees Live With the Stigma of Being Supporters of Pakistan
Main
Points:
1. Urdu poets and writers of refugee camps have
kept Urdu alive.
2. Urdu poets have to live in 8×8 feet rooms
with family.
3. Mushairas and Qawwalis are regularly held in
the camps.
4. Bangla writers like Asad Chowdhury and
Shamsul Haque have supported Urdu writers.
-----
New
Age Islam Staff Writer
31 July
2021
With the
formation of Bangladesh in 1971, Urdu language at once became the language of
the 'collaborators'. Known as 'Biharis', the Urdu speaking Muslims of
Bangladesh have since been living with the stigma of supporting Pakistani
aggression against the Bengali speaking majority community of Bangladesh. These
Urdu speaking Muslims who are about 2,50,000 live in 116 settlements across
Bangladesh. The largest Bihari refugee camp called Geneva Camp is in Dhaka
where about 100,000 Biharis live in 8×8 feet homes.
After the
independence of Bangladesh, Urdu became an outsider here. Urdu schools were
closed, Urdu as an optional subject in higher studies was dropped and Urdu
journals and newspapers had to be closed. In this situation, it was very
difficult for the Urdu speaking community to live with their identity in
Bangladesh. However, as the times passed, wounds started healing and the
hostility of the majority community receded and liberal Bangla writers like
Asad Chowdhury helped in bridging the gap by translating the Urdu poems of Urdu
writers into Bangla.
Since the
mother tongue of these inmates is Urdu, these camps are also the centres of
Urdu language and literature in Bangladesh. Urdu literary and cultural
activities are held regularly here. Most of the Urdu poets, story writers and
lyricists of Urdu of Bangladesh live in these camps and have kept their
language and cultural heritage alive in a hostile country.
Mushairas,
programmes of Qawwali and Tarannum (Musical programmes) are held in these camps
in which singers and poets from the camps across the country participate.
Shamim Zamanvi, Qasim Anis, Qamruzzaman Talib Kabir, Arman Shamsi, Enayatullah
Siddiqui, Jameel Akhtar, Syed Afzal Hussain, Syed Fatema Islam Rosy, Anwarul
Haque, Nazar Neyazi, Syed Faiyaz Hussain, Riaz Rafique, Mamoon Siddiqi, Shawkat
Noor, Salahuddin Amer, Qurban Ali are some of the poets who are the voices and
representatives of Urdu language and literature in Bangladesh. The themes of
their poetry are the muserable life of refugee camps, inequality and the pain
of being away from one's homeland apart from the common joys and sorrows of
life.
There are
some literary and cultural organisations like Bazm-e-Iqbal, Halqa-e-Ahbab and
Bangla-Urdu Sahitya Foundation. The latter works as a bridge between Urdu and
Bangla literature. It publishes translations of Urdu poms into Bangla. It also
publishes a magazine called Awaz. The Bangla writed Asad Chowdhury has been
playing an important role in patronising Urdu language and literature in
Bangladesh.
Asad
Chowdhury, ex-Director of Bangla Academy also published an anthology of
translations of 100 Urdu poems titled 'Barir Kachhe Arshinagar'.
Urdu
literary magazines like Khayal, Paigham and Mahawl have been published from
time to time.
Shamim
Zamanwi who is originally from Uttar Pradesh in India is very active and is the
Vice President of Bangla-Urdu Sahitya Foundation.
The
partition took place due to the political ambitions of some politicians but it
was given the colour of a linguistic conflict. In this conflict, Urdu became
the victim.
Though Urdu
is taught in Dhaka University and Rajshahi University in Bangladesh, there are
no prospects of development of Urdu language in the country as the language has
no state patronage and no scope of Urdu learning. Therefore, the Urdu poets and
writers feel that Urdu does not have a bright future in Bangladesh.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-sectarianism/bangladesh-urdu-bihari-refugee/d/125157