Grants for research on 1971 War of Liberation

The government's plan to support research and studies on the War of Liberation in 1971 and the July Mass Uprising by selected researchers is a good initiative. According to a report carried in a vernacular daily, an individual researcher or a research team will receive a minimum of Tk 0.5 million and a maximum of Tk 2.5 million for conducting research on the 1971 war. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs already issued a guideline on this, stating that the selected researchers will receive grants under three categories. The grant will be disbursed annually, although the total number of grants to be offered for the research work is yet to be determined.

The main objective of the initiative is to support diverse research on the country's war of independence by focusing on underexplored areas. Through this, unknown facts about 1971 will gradually be unearthed. It is expected that researchers will use the grants to bring to the fore the local events involving the 1971 war. Such works will be documented as reference materials for the future. A wide range of topics has been outlined, including the history of the Liberation War, the struggle for independence, mass participation, verification of the list of freedom fighters and martyrs, genocide, war crimes, human rights violations, martyred intellectuals, killing fields (Badhyabhumi), archival documents, regional and local war events, contributions of the freedom fighters, experiences of the 1971 refugees, and international support during the war. In addition to the war of liberation, grants will also support studies on the context, aspirations, perspectives, events and outcomes of the July mass uprising.

The initiative to support new research on the 1971 and the July mass uprising is important for several reasons. During Hasina's autocratic regime, in the name of correcting distortions of 1971's history, one-sided and misguided narratives of the war of independence spread. Many works were produced, with state support, and numerous books, booklets, journal papers, and some audio-visual digital content were published between 2009 and 2024. However, many of these works are one-sided, narrowly viewed, flawed, biased, and filled with distorted facts. In an effort to highlight the immense contribution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the country's long political struggle and War of Liberation, a cult-like culture had emerged. As a result, the history of 1971 became Mujib-centric, marginalising and erasing the contributions of other key figures. The Hasina administration and her supporters established firm control over discussions, debates and works focusing on 1971 and forced others to follow cult-based narratives. They also made any critical examination or dissenting voice a punishable offence.

The July mass uprising that forced Hasina to step down and flee to India for shelter, however, has challenged the Mujib-centric narratives and also provided tools to bust some historical myths developed by the Awami League. Though it always claimed to be the only party that upheld the spirit of the war of liberation, it did not take the necessary step to prepare a comprehensive list of the martyrs of 1971 despite being in power for more than 15 years at a stretch. Instead, the spirit of the War of Liberation has been used by cronies, goons and beneficiaries of the party to shield their misdeeds.         

The government's latest initiative to provide grants for research on 1971 opens an opportunity to get a credible picture. However, several challenges remain to make the initiative successful and effective in the long run. First, selection of research proposals carefully and objectively so that good work is rewarded. Second, encouraging young and potential researchers to conduct in-depth studies of 1971 and the July mass uprising. Third, reviewing the research in detail so young researchers stay on track. Fourth, allowing open discussions and debates so that researchers gain diverse perspectives and are prepared to accept criticism.

The war of liberation is a matter of great pride and deep emotion for all the people of Bangladesh, which is marked by the supreme sacrifices of millions of lives in nine months of 1971. Almost every family in Bangladesh has a story of sacrifice and contribution in various forms. That's why it is a war of the masses. It is, thus, expected that the researchers will shed light on the role of the masses in 1971 using the proposed grants.

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