Bangabhumi (Bangla: বঙ্গভূমি, meaning the land of Bengal) also known as Bir Bango (Bangla:বীর বঙ্গ), is a separatist movement to create a Hindu country using southwestern Bangladesh, envisioned by politicians from West Bengal, India and Banga Sena of Hindu of West Bengal.
The movement was founded in 1973 in India soon after Bangladeshi independence to support the Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, who were targeted by the Pakistani army in the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities based on ideas of reconquest.[1] However, this movement did not receive much support at that time. In an interview with BBC in 2001, Chittaranjan Sutar, one of the alleged organisers of the movement, denied any existence of the movement at that time.[2] The movement openly became active again in 2003 when it declared the independence of Hindu Republic of Bangabhumi.[3]
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The flag of the proposed Bangabhumi state comprises of one third green color and two third of saffron color. In the middle of the saffron part is a white disc symbolizing the sun. I guess the similarity to the Bangladeshi flag is intentional. Although the meaning is not explained, one can assume the green part would represent the Muslim minority in otherwise Hindu state, something like the Pakistani flag does with their minorities. The National Emblem is depicted by the green circle in another, saffron colored circle with word "Shri" (symbol of beauty and prosperity) written in the saffron circle. The National Anthem is a song of poet Dijendra Lal Roy: "Dhana Dhanye Pushpe Bhara, Arnader Ei Basundhara" ("This land of ours filled with crops and flowers").
Even though no violence has so far been reported committed by these groups, the Bangladeshi government is concerned by this movement.[2]
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