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| Publications of the Moment Recognizing August 9, 2010 as International Day of the World’s Indigenous People the BDRC provides a list of recent publications related to indigenous people in Bangladesh and some links to resources, recent news and additional information |
I. List of recent publications (on indigenous people in Bangladesh)
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II. Further internet resources (on indigenous people in Bangladesh)
III. Some recent news articles (related to indigenous people in Bangladesh)
IV. Some Basic Information on Indigenous People in Bangladesh
(as provided at Virtual Bangladesh)
Note: The numbers provided may be out of date and should be considered to be indicative only.
Bangladesh’s tribal population consists of about 1 million people, just under 1 percent of
the total population. They live primarily in the Chittagong Hills and in the regions of
Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Rajshahi. The majority of the tribal population (778,425) live in
rural settings, where many practice shifting cultivation. Most tribal people are of
SinoTibetan descent and has distinctive Mongoloid features. They differ in their social
organization, marriage customs, birth and death rites, food, and other social customs
from the people of the rest of the country. They speak Tibeto-Burman languages. In the
mid-1980s, the percentage distribution of tribal population by religion was Hindu 24,
Buddhist 44, Christian 13, and others 19.
The four largest tribes are the Chakmas, Marmas (or Maghs), Tipperas (or Tipras), and
Mros (or Moorangs). The tribes tend to intermingle and could be distinguished from one
another more by differences in their dialect, dress, and customs than by tribal cohesion.
Only the Chakmas and Marmas display formal tribal organization, although all groups
containe distinct clans. By far the largest tribe, the Chakmas are of mixed origin but
reflect more Bengali influence than any other tribe. Unlike the other tribes, the Chakmas
and Marmas generally live in the highland valleys. Most Chakmas are Buddhists, but
some practiced Hinduism or animism.
- Indigenous People of Bangladesh (Photostory by Islam, Kabirul)
- Bangladesh website of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) at:
- Bangladesh website of Oxfam Australia at:
- Strengthening Education with Indigenous Languages in Bangladesh: Video Report
- http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=5023:strengthening-education-with-
indigenous-languages-in-bangladesh-video-report&catid=68:videos-and-
movies&Itemid=96
- World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples (Updated May 2008)
III. Some recent news articles (related to indigenous people in Bangladesh)
- Ensure right to land of indigenous (Daily Star news report of August 7, 2010)
- Justice and security needed for Bangladesh’s indigenous Jumma people (by
Minority Rights Group International; March 12, 2010)
- Bangladesh erupts in ethnic violence (by Pinaki Roy, March 5, 2010)
- Bangladesh: Army opens fire on indigenous population, at least two dead (by
Amnesty International UK; February 26, 2010)
- MRG condemns attack on Bangladeshi indigenous activist (by Minority Rights
Group International; January 2010)
- Army pullout from CHT kicks off (Daily Star news report of August 8, 2009)
- Agonies of indigenous people (by Dr. Pranab Kumar Panday and Dr. Ishtiaq Jamil in
the Daily Star of August 3, 2009)
IV. Some Basic Information on Indigenous People in Bangladesh
(as provided at Virtual Bangladesh)
Note: The numbers provided may be out of date and should be considered to be indicative only.
Bangladesh’s tribal population consists of about 1 million people, just under 1 percent of
the total population. They live primarily in the Chittagong Hills and in the regions of
Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Rajshahi. The majority of the tribal population (778,425) live in
rural settings, where many practice shifting cultivation. Most tribal people are of
SinoTibetan descent and has distinctive Mongoloid features. They differ in their social
organization, marriage customs, birth and death rites, food, and other social customs
from the people of the rest of the country. They speak Tibeto-Burman languages. In the
mid-1980s, the percentage distribution of tribal population by religion was Hindu 24,
Buddhist 44, Christian 13, and others 19.
The four largest tribes are the Chakmas, Marmas (or Maghs), Tipperas (or Tipras), and
Mros (or Moorangs). The tribes tend to intermingle and could be distinguished from one
another more by differences in their dialect, dress, and customs than by tribal cohesion.
Only the Chakmas and Marmas display formal tribal organization, although all groups
containe distinct clans. By far the largest tribe, the Chakmas are of mixed origin but
reflect more Bengali influence than any other tribe. Unlike the other tribes, the Chakmas
and Marmas generally live in the highland valleys. Most Chakmas are Buddhists, but
some practiced Hinduism or animism.