Nirbachon Ar Iccha: Women as Subjects in the Bengali Muslim Ghoti-Bangal Divide

Abstract

In the complex socio-political landscape of Bengal, the Ghoti-Bangal divide represents a longstanding cultural rivalry between natives and those with origins in East Pakistan (presentday Bangladesh). While often perceived through culinary or sporting affiliations, this divide conceals a deeper, gendered political conflict where women’s autonomy becomes the primary site for asserting cultural superiority. This paper argues that within the Bengali Muslim community, women’s choices, their Nirbachon (choice) and Iccha (desire) regarding education, occupation, marriage, and religious observance like the pordah, are systematically politicized to maintain and deepen this communal rift. Through a qualitative narrative approach, this study captures the lived experiences of women from both factions, revealing how the Muslim Ghoti community often frames its women’s relative freedoms as markers of modernity and sophistication, while the Muslim Bangal community valorizes its women’s adherence to traditional norms as evidence of superior piety and authenticity. This instrumentalization of female agency transforms personal life decisions into political statements, reinforcing internal hierarchies and social boundaries. The findings expose a pattern where women’s bodies and choices are weaponized in a silent cultural war, leading to their psychological burden, social scrutiny, and constrained autonomy. This politicization not only violates their fundamental right to dignity and self-determination but also perpetuates a cycle of inter-community gender-based discrimination. The study underscores the urgent need to depoliticize women’s lives and advocates for a community dialogue that prioritizes genuine gender justice over divisive identity politics.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.66496/LCAP.9788168710122.2026.76-92