ABSTRACT
This chapter is about the prolonged aftermath of Partition, particularly in terms of border and borderlands. The stories present will help one see that, far from being an event of the past, Partition is a living process in the present, replete with all its historical baggage. Being informed by globalization and neoliberalism, statecraft itself becomes a complicated site. Post-Partition states in South Asia are no exception. Therefore, this chapter will engage with the complex relationships of the post-Partition states, the border, and borderlanders. Contrary to the metaphor of surgery, hasty border-making has become a chronic wound, dispersing venomous pain and infections. The case of Felani Khatun is probably one of the most telling examples of this. Following the story of Felani and its responses from both sides of the border, I attempt to link such trans-border instances with the notion of ‘everyday state formation’ and to make critical engagement with the celebrated notion of ‘subversion.’ Later, I return to the case of Felani again and elaborate upon the statist politics around the issue of fence and border-killing. Referring to the historical backdrop of Partition, the chapter proposes to widen the threadbare concept of ‘prolonged partition’ in the light of the East Bengal/Bangladesh experience.
