Partition literature

Partition literature refers to the literature in which story, plot, or themes are mainly based on partition. Bangladesh mainly faces three partitions and becomes the victim of a big genocide. The first partition happened in 1905, the second partition happened in 1947, and the third partition happened in 1971. Mainly 1947 is known as a year of partition. The British announced the partition of the sub-continent into India and Pakistan in August 1947. Pakistan was preferred by the Muslims and India was preferred by the Sikhs and Hindus.

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Partition literature
Partition literature refers to the literature in which story, plot, or themes are mainly based on
partition. Bangladesh mainly faces three partitions and becomes the victim of a big genocide. The
first partition happened in 1905, the second partition happened in 1947, and the third partition
happened in 1971. Mainly 1947 is known as a year of partition. The British announced the partition
of the sub-continent into India and Pakistan in August 1947. Pakistan was preferred by the
Muslims and India was preferred by the Sikhs and Hindus.
Based on the partition some of the Bangladeshi, Indian, and Pakistani authors have created a
plethora of literature in this regard. In Kaiser Haq’s book Partition and the Bangladeshi literary
response, Haq talks about these partition literature. He also mentioned some of the Bangladeshi
writers who write about partition. Such as Syed Waliullah’s short story “The Escape”, this short
story powerfully shows the tragedy of partition. Waliullah’s other short story Haq mentions that
“Ekti Tulsi Gacher Kahini” which is also based on partition. Here Tulsi plant is a symbol of unity.
Haq also mentioned the first Bangladeshi novel dealing with Partition is Ranga Prabhat (1957) by
Abul Fazl (1903-1983). Two novels that focus on the anxieties and social tensions in the decades
leading up to Partition are Alauddin Al Azad’s Kshudha O Asha (1964) Sardar Jainuddin’s Anek
Suryer Asha (1966).
In partition, literature nostalgia is a powerful theme. Some of the common partition literary writers
are Taslima Nasreen, Akhteruzzaman Elias, Khademul Islam’s ‘An Ilish Story’, Mahmud
Rahman’s short story collection, ‘Killing the Water’ (2010), includes a few pieces that sketch in
the Partition as an unavoidable backdrop. Tahmima Anam’s debut novel, A Golden Age (2007),
links up Partition with the 1971 war through the family of ‘Rehana Ali of Calcutta’.
b. Auto-ethnography

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Auto-ethnography is a literary term that refers to an author who uses self-reflection and writing to
explore anecdotal and personal experiences and connect this autobiographical story to wider
cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings. It is a self-reflective form of writing
used across various disciplines such as communication studies, performance studies,
education, English literature, anthropology, social work, sociology, history, psychology, religious
studies, marketing, business and educational administration, arts education, nursing,
and physiotherapy. "Auto-ethnography is a research method that: Uses a researcher's personal
experience to describe and critique cultural beliefs, practices, and experiences. Acknowledges and
values a researcher's relationships with others... Shows 'people in the process of figuring out what
to do, how to live, and the meaning of their struggles'" (Adams, 2015).
In Bangladeshi literature, we can see auto-ethnography, some well-known Bangladeshi writers
such as Syed Manzoorul Islam, Kaiser Haq, Kaiser Haq, Fakrul Alam, Humayun Ahmed,
Tahmima Anam, Akhteruzzaman Elias and so on. Most of their writing is auto-ethnography.
For example, Kaiser Haq’s “Partition and Bangladeshi literary Response” where he describes his
thought about partition. Fakrul Alam’s “Travelogue: In the Land of No Worries,” is also an auto-
ethnography essay.
Through this auto-ethnography writing, a reader can easily know the background of the writer, the
opinion of the writer, the writer's personal experiences, and his/her idea of thinking. Through this
auto-ethnography, a writer can easily circulate his/her culture to the reader, and a reader can easily
know a different culture, custom, religion, and language.
C. Partition 1905

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Partition of 1905 is known as the partition of Bengal. The partition was in East Pakistan and West
Pakistan. In Fakrul Alam’s essay “The University of Dhaka and the partitioning of Bengal” we
can get a clear image of Partition.
The Partition of Bengal was announced on 19 July 1905 by the Viceroy of India, Curzon. The
partition took place on 16 October 1905 and separated the largely Muslim eastern areas from the
largely Hindu western areas. The Hindus of West Bengal who dominated Bengal's business and
rural life complained that the division would make them a minority in a province that would
incorporate the province of Bihar and Orissa. The main reason for the Partition was purely
political. The Hindus were in a better position in terms of economic status, professional qualities,
and so on, than the Muslims. During the pre-Sepoy Mutiny period, the section of Hindu traders
greatly helped the British while their Muslim counterparts did not. The British were angry. With
the spread of Western education, Hindus made a big way, but the Muslims could not. A sense of
deprivation crept in. Perhaps, the sense of deprivation was engineered.
Hindus believed that the British had divided Bengal according to their 'divide and rule' policy.
They believed that the British had tried to weaken Hindu power by dividing Bengal and
establishing East Bengal with a Muslim majority. The partition aroused fury among Hindus;
followed by protests. The Muslims were delighted with the partition. Their position was improved
overnight. Since 1867, the British had mistrusted the Muslims and Hindus had gained all the
advantages. Now, at last, they had true recognition as they got a province in which Muslims were
in the majority. Thus, they got freedom from Hindus' oppression.
d. How did the events and incidents that occurred around the Partition of Bengal lead to
the creation of the University of Dhaka? Discuss in reference to Fakrul Alam’s essay “The
University of Dhaka and the Partitioning of Bengal”.

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FakrulALam’s essay “The University of Dhaka and the Partitioning of Bengal” is mainly based on
1905 Bengal partition. The partition of Bengal was, in fact, initiated by Curzon as part of a 'divide
and rule policy'. The idea of using the Bengal partition as a political tool to undermine the growing
nationalism in Bengal and other parts of India occurred later. After the partition the country was
was divided into two provinces. One was West Bengal and another is East Bengal. Many of
Bengali people thought that partition is an insult for their motherland, they tried a lot for the unity
of Bengal. Even Rabindranath Tagore composed the famous song ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ which
later became the national anthem of Bangladesh.
In this essay Alam also focused on University of Dhaka. Alam said that DU is the result of all the
developments that led to the partition of Bengal in 1905 and its annulment in 1911. The main
reason of DU is Indian Bengali Muslim needs for tertiary education. And it was the beginning of
partition.
Most of the Bengalis in the western part protested against this partition. Many Muslims from the
Bengali Muslim community welcomed this move since they thought that it would advance their
educational, economic and political interests if they became the majority in the new province. Lord
Curzon also promised to start a university in Dhaka. This was also seen as an opportunity for
Muslims to develop in education and improve their standard of living. The general protest in the
rest of the country was against this partition.
The people saw through the ‘divide and rule’ policy of the British authorities. The chief aim of
such a partition was only to create a rift between the two communities and hampering the unity
and nationalism in the country. The agitation had started much before the date of the partition
itself. On the date of the partition, people observed a day of mourning. Tagore asked Hindus and

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Muslims to tie rakhis to each other as a mark of protest. A few Muslims also were against the
partition. The Swadeshi and Boycott movements in the national struggle started as a result of this
partition. People started boycotting British goods which had flooded the Indian market and had
dealt a blow to the indigenous industry. The partition did succeed in creating a communal rift in
the country and even contributed to the birth of the Muslim League in 1906.
b. What is the main focus of Mary Baine Campbell essay “Travel Writing and It’s Theory”?
How does, according to the author, Edward Said’s approach to Orientalism provide us with tools
with which we can read and interpret travel writings?

Mary Baine Campbell is an American poet, scholar, and professor. “Travel writing and its theory”
is her famous theoretical essay and this essay is mainly based on travel-writing.
Travel writing starts a long back ago. Travel writing is a literary genre of writing which
encompasses outdoor literature, guide books, nature writing, and travel memoirs.
Travel writing mainly deals with geography, linguistic, and anthropology diaspora. In this book,
Campbell tries to historicize where did the travel writing starts? What is its origin? And as well as
where the history is developed. The main focus of this essay is how other is represented in writing.
Travel writing is the very oldest form of writing. In travel writing, there are some anthropological
and colonial projects. Travel writing is considered more than life. Nowadays we live in a
globalized world. In this essay, Campbell describes through travel writing a reader easily can know
the other language, culture. Travel writing is also included with transcultural.
In this essay, Campbell also mentioned Edward Said’s theory. Said’s book is the best example of
a travel writing book. Said’s main target of writing was multi-disciplinary area studies and the late
18th and 19th-century orientalist texts were composed as foreign travel writing. It also contributed
to geography linguistic and anthropology. Orientalism Is a middle east travel writing book. Said’s
book set the agenda for a generation of critics in various fields in the humanities and social

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sciences. One of the inspiring innovations of Said’s book was precisely its critical attention to
travel writing, and as a result, the book catalyzed broader inquiries into the discursive
representation of power, difference, and desire in a globalizing world.
These are the main focused f Campbell’s essay “Travel Writing and It’s Theory”