Dhaka, Dec. 12 -- In few zones of the world is history so debated and fought over as in Bangladesh. It's also interesting that the fight occurs without any regard for facts. This would sound very odd and contradictory unless one realizes the purpose of "history" in Bangladesh to the ruling class is not about creating educational spaces and information dissemination but legitimizing regimes.

It's interesting how in the last 54 years Bangladesh has gone from extreme veneration to dubbing the 1971 war as a treasonous act. It stands today in a limbo where various interpretations exist offering a wide menu of histories to pick from. The key issue is that the debates are not about history but a branch of any contemporary politics.

It's here t...