Bangladesh is a country of many races, cultures, religions and languages. The large Bengali-speaking population of this country, along with the Bengalis, has long been inhabited by a number of small ethnic groups. They are distinct from the Bengalis in manners, ceremonies, religion, language, reforms and culture. They are an integral and inevitable part of Bangladesh.
*Indigenous and Minority:
Aborigines, the English word for indigenous, comes from the Latin word Aborigine, which means "from the beginning", meaning the indigenous people living in a country are called indigenous. Minorities, on the other hand, refer to minorities and relatively backward nations or communities living alongside major nations.
*Statistics of Minorities in Bangladesh:
There is disagreement about the actual number of minorities in Bangladesh. According to the 1991 census, there are 29 small ethnic groups in Bangladesh. Most of them live in different hilly areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts. According to the 2001 census, the total number of tribals in Bangladesh is 3 lakh 64 thousand 85 people. However, according to the data provided by the Bangladesh Indigenous Forum, there are 45 ethnic minorities and a total of more than 20 lakh indigenous people. Notable among the small ethnic groups of Bangladesh are- Chakma, Marma, Rakhine, Thanchangya, Manipuri, Garo, Hajong, Santal, Khasia etc. They have been living in the Greater Chittagong Hill Tracts, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Rajshahi, Thakurgaon, Cox's Bazar etc. for ages.
*Chakmas:
The Chakmas are the largest ethnic group in Bangladesh. The Chakmas call themselves Changma. They live in the greater Chittagong Hill Tracts, especially in Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and other districts. They are again divided into small groups. They have their own social, administrative and judicial system with the king in charge. The king settled the Chakmas' customs, customs, land, revenue management, village quarrels and various other issues. The social system of the Chakmas is patriarchal. As a result, only the sons inherit the ancestral property. Although agriculture is their main livelihood, the Chakmas now have a place in employment and business. Among the indigenous communities, the Chakmas have the highest literacy rate (36.8%). They are Buddhists. Their main religious and social festivals include Maghi full moon, Baishakhi full moon, Buddhist full moon, Kathin Chibar Dan, Madhu full moon, lantern flying etc. One of the biggest festivals of Chakmas is Biju festival.
*Marma:
The second largest community in terms of majority is the Marma. Although Marmas live in the hill districts, they are mainly residents of Bandarban. They are called Marma because they came from Myanmar. However, the word Marma comes from the word ‘Mraima’. About 1 lakh Marmas live in Bandarban. Like the Chakmas, the responsibility of social justice is in the hands of the king. Despite the patriarchal social system, Marma girls inherit the same ancestral property. They make a living by cultivating zoom, hunting river fish and crabs and making cloth, cigars etc. However, they are rapidly establishing themselves in the field of education, employment, business and other fields. The Marmaras speak their own language but use the Burmese alphabet to write. Marmaras are Buddhists. Their main religious and social festivals include Buddhist full moon, Kathin Chibar Dan, Wagyoai etc.
*Thanchangya:
Among the small ethnic groups of Bangladesh, Thanchangya is significant. They live in Rangamati and Bandarban districts. Although the Thanchangyas claim to be a separate ethnic group, anthropologists believe that they are a sub-tribe of the Chakmas. There are considerable similarities between the Chakmas in terms of socio-cultural customs and traditions. The language of the Tanchangyas belongs to the Indo-Aryan language group. The Tanchangyas refer to it as 'Manabhasha'.
