Forging a nation in the language matrix: Bangla and the politics of identity in Bangladesh

Abstract

Language is the most enduring site where nations are imagined, contested, and reproduced. In Bangladesh, Bangla has historically been the grammar of solidarity, sacrifice, and pride, yet its position in contemporary identity is increasingly negotiated. This study employs Anderson’s (2006) theory of imagined communities to examine how Bangla continues to function as both a cultural anchor and a site of ambivalence in the age of globalization. The data were collected from one hundred educated young adults through a questionnaire based survey including both quantitative and qualitative strategies. The analysis reveals three critical findings. First, Bangla remains most resilient in familial and academic settings, where it nurtures intimacy, continuity, and historical consciousness. Second, digital spaces introduce tension: while Bangla retains symbolic importance, English often dominates in social media and entertainment, indexing global belonging and aspirational modernity. Third, younger generations negotiate this hybridity strategically, affirming national pride in Bangla while simultaneously embracing multilingual practices. These findings highlight a layered linguistic nationalism, resilient yet adaptive, where Bangla persists as the emotional core of identity but is reconfigured in response to cosmopolitan pressures. However, this study is limited to urban university students, which narrows generalizability. Future research should investigate rural contexts, intergenerational perspectives, and longitudinal shifts across media. Notably, strengthening Bangla in higher education, advancing vernacular digital content, and crafting inclusive cultural policies can uphold linguistic pride while embracing global engagement.