Expectation vs Reality: A Dystopian Presentation of Bangladesh under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Neamat Imam’s The Black Coat

Abstract

The Liberation War of Bangladesh is groundbreaking event in the history of South Asia. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the people of the then East Pakistan went into an uneven war against Pakistan. The aim was to build Bangladesh on the principles of equality and justice. Bangladesh would be a free corruption-less democratic country. But after independence all these principles were vanished and the leaders of the country became corrupted from head to the toe. They kept themselves busy to make their own fortune instead of providing a good governance to the citizen. The famine of 1974 is the worst manifestation of terrible administration of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Millions of people died during that time due to the lack of responsibility of the government. But Sheikh Mujib never held him responsible, instead he admitted only 26000 deaths from starvation. Neamat Imam brings this sad truth of Sheikh Mujib’s administration through his artistic representation of the famine of 1974 in his novel The Black Coat. Rich with political statements this novel unfolds the rather darker side of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his sense of irresponsibly during the tough period of 1974 famine.