04/07/2022
: There is no internationally agreed definition of what constitute indigenous peoples or ethnic minorities.
An ethnic group generally shares a common sense of identity and common characteristics such as language, religion, tribe, nationality, race or a combination thereof.
: The indigenous people of Bangladesh refer to ethnic minorities in Chittagong Hill Tracts (southeastern), Sylhet Division (northeastern), Rajshahi Division (west), and Mymensingh Division (north-central) areas of the country.
communities: They are diverse ethnic communities including Tibeto-Burman, Austric and Dravidian people.
Quite a few of these groups, such as the Chakmas and Marmas (the largest and second largest respectively), migrated to Bangladesh before the British period from modern Burma. Others migrated from Central India, where they are referred to as Upajati (Tribal).
Most of these groups are often disadvantaged compared to ethnic Bengalis since Bangladesh was created as a Bengali nation-state.
It's generally assumed that at least 54 groups of indigenous peoples live in Bangladesh. However, the National Committee recommended 50 indigenous communities to be enlisted on the gazette of "Small Ethnic Groups Cultural Institutes Act of 2010". Based on this recommendation, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs made an amendment to this Act and enlisted 50 indigenous communities instead of 27.
The 50 indigenous communities are: Bawm, Barman, Bagdi, Banai, Baraik, Bedia, Bhil, Bhumij, Bhuimali, Chak, Chakma, Dalu, Garo, Gorait, Gurkha, Ganju, Hodi, Ho, Hajong, Koch, Kole, Khasi, Khyang, Khumi, Kurmi Mahato, Koda, Kora, Kharia, Kharwar, Lohar, Lusai, Monipuri, Marma, Malpahari/Pahari, Munda, Mro, Malo/Ghasimalo, Mahali, Mushor, Oraon, Patro, Pangkhua, Rajowar, Rakhaine, Santal, Sabar, Tangchangya, Tripura, Teli and Turi.
Each of these communities has a different language, cultural heritage and knowledge, etc.
of indigenous ethnic minorities in Bangladesh:
According to the 2011 census conducted by the Government of Bangladesh, the country's Indigenous population comprises approximately 1,586,141, 1.8% of the country's total population. However, Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh claim that their population is approximately 5 million.
: Ethnic minorities of Bangladesh have their own cultural traditions and, frequently, languages.
According to Justice Habibur Rahman, indigenous peoples speak 37 languages (Bangladesher Nanan Bhasa, 2014) aside from Bangla. The number of languages spoken may increase if a proper census is carried out. There are communities who no longer speak their language and there are others who speak their language but do not have alphabets. There are threats of the extinction of languages spoken by the ethnic communities. Thus it is important to nurture and preserve the alphabets of their languages.
Addressing the critical loss of indigenous languages the United Nations declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL 2019) not only to benefit the people who speak these languages, but so that others appreciate the important contribution they make to our world's rich cultural diversity.
: Vast number of indigenous tribes of Bangladesh are traditionally Buddhists and Hindus by faith while others are Christians and animists.
: The survey showed that the indigenous communities' children face lack of access to quality education because of the lack of education being provided to them in their mother tongue.
The government's recent initiative of introducing education based on the mother tongue for selected groups of indigenous communities is being welcomed, although it is scaling up to cover more children and the inclusion of other indigenous groups would also be important.
However, the government is yet to take any step to institutionalise the indigenous languages in the higher education system.
Furthermore, the Education Policy 2010 doesn't mention the benchmark of indigenous languages' standardisation through formal institutionalisation in the higher education system.
It is not just the land-related and social issues that cause despair for the indigenous communities, but there are also serious concerns about their languages and cultures.
: February 21 was declared the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO in 1999. The whole world has been observing this day since February 21, 2000. The declaration was made as a tribute to the Bengali people's Language Movement (then the East Pakistanis). However, the right to language of the indigenous peoples of this country is yet to be fully recognised. In this sovereign country that is Bangladesh, the government should acknowledge the contribution of indigenous peoples as well as recognise their right to self-determination, culture, language and education.
of information:
1) Wikipedia
2) Khokon Suiten Murmu is Project Coordinator of Kapaeeng Foundation, Central Cabinet Member of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad (J*P) and National Committee Member of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum (BIPF).
3) The Daily Star.
