The land doesn't hv agency to name an identity -its people who do. The word "V/Banga" is pre-Islamic in origin. Even that wdnt hv been a problem as in say Iran where Arab jihadi invasions did see advantages in retaining (or unable to erase) Airanya pride to twist into pidgin Iran
https://twitter.com/zohrabai/status/1379832791701942272
However with Bengal and Muslims, the problem has always been a palpable uneasiness with any and all traces of pre-Islamicness in Bengal society - with generations of mullahs/pirs/sufis systematically trying to erase what they saw as un-Islamicness - through coercion.
The problem of identity in the Muslims of "undivided Bengal" is more acute than in Pakistan. Bengal Muslims were one of three pillars behind formation of Pakistan- open confirmation of rejecting all "Hinduness", in turn a core of "Bengaliness" even if u dont accept exclusiveness.
The keenness with which Bengali Muslims forgot their "Bengaliness" to become "Pakistan" can't be forgotten. The anti-Hindu-Bengali feelings persisted throughout E.Pak's existence, including the pogroms on Hindus in 1950's even while disillusionment over spoils of Partition set in
The "Language movement" therefore can't be seen as anything other than a tool of political mobilization to ensure ease of admin/state funded jobs -a pt of distinction and claim on state resources, rather than an issue of identity at core - given no change in anti-Hindu attitudes.
Once started, it wd be clear - Punjabi Muslim exclusiveness, as Islamic inclusiveness is a mask beneath which all racial/class/caste prejudice survive all over the world - cd only be countered by pushing a "Bengaliness" but which must still be "Islamic".
Thus even when separating from Pakistan with "Hindu Indian" help, thereby proving their original support for Pakistan was without basis, the founders of Bangladesh remained acutely aware of their distinction from "Bengal", as they could not rejoin "Hindu Bengal" and "Hindu India"
"Bangladesh" expresses the quintessential Islamicness of the Bengali Muslim - whether trapped by history or its mullahs -isnt my headache& expresses the inability of the Bengali Muslim to accept that Bengali identity has been shaped by non-Muslims, and accept its non-Islamicness.
Its insistence on Islamicness and Islamic exclusiveness that made the Bengali Muslim exclude themselves from "Bengali" identity - not the other way round.
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