Why were the works of Rabindranath Tagore banned in East Pakistan during the 1950s and early 1960s?

During the 1950s and 1960s, the government of Pakistan, which was based in West Pakistan, sought to impose a singular national identity and systematically marginalized Bengali culture in East Pakistan.12

As part of these discriminatory measures, officials viewed various aspects of Bengali culture—including the traditional sari—as being associated with Hinduism and therefore incompatible with the state's vision. Consequently, the works of the iconic Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore were banned, and the broadcast of his songs was outlawed.123

This suppression was part of a broader effort to suppress Bengali language and cultural expression, which also included the attempt to impose Urdu as the sole national language. Bengali nationalists in East Pakistan resisted these bans, defiantly celebrating Tagore’s music and poetry as a central pillar of their secular identity.132