ABSTRACT
This paper examines the case of Bangladesh in order to demonstrate the contextual nature of the definitions of states, nations and identities. Nationalistsl engaged in the quest for legitimacy and power have formulated and reformulated these so that they may exercise political control over power and resources. Specifically, the paper explores how the quest for legitimacy by successive regimes in Bangladesh has led to the rise of the religious right in politics, thus posing a challenge to the secular order visualized by the liberal intelligentsia.
