Who Are the Chakma?
The Chakma are the largest indigenous group in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, with additional populations in India's Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh, totaling approximately 600,000-700,000 people. They speak Chakma, a Tibeto-Burman language written in its own script (Chakma script), one of few indigenous scripts in South Asia. The Chakma practice Theravada Buddhism, distinguishing them from the predominantly Muslim Bengali population. Their homeland in the forested hills of the Chittagong region has been the site of prolonged conflict over land, autonomy, and cultural survival. The Chakma have faced displacement, violence, and migration while maintaining their distinctive Buddhist culture and political organization.
Hill Kingdom
The Chakma maintained a semi-independent kingdom under their own chiefs (rajas) for centuries. The Chakma Raja held authority over the Chakma population, administering justice, collecting tribute, and representing the people to outside powers. British colonial rule initially confirmed the Raja's authority; the Chittagong Hill Tracts were administered separately from Bengal. This special status continued after Pakistan's independence in 1947, though tensions grew as Bengali settlers moved into the hills. The Kaptai Dam project (1960), which flooded 40% of Chakma agricultural land and displaced 100,000 people, marked a turning point. Many Chakma lost their farms without adequate compensation, generating lasting grievances.
Conflict and Displacement
After Bangladesh's independence (1971), government-sponsored Bengali settlement in the Chittagong Hill Tracts intensified. The Chakma and other hill peoples organized resistance through the Shanti Bahini (Peace Force), engaging in armed insurgency from 1977 to 1997. The conflict produced massive human rights violations: villages burned, women assaulted, and thousands killed on both sides. Over 100,000 Chakma fled to India, where refugee camps persisted for years. The 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord promised autonomy and land commission resolution, but implementation has been incomplete. Bengali settlements continued; land disputes remain unresolved. Many refugees have not regained their lands. Violence, though reduced, has not ended entirely.
Contemporary Chakma
Modern Chakma communities navigate ongoing challenges. In Bangladesh, the Peace Accord's unfulfilled promises generate continued tension; activists face threats and violence. Land disputes with Bengali settlers remain explosive. The Chakma Raja retains ceremonial importance but limited authority. Buddhist monasteries remain cultural centers, preserving traditions and providing education. In India, Chakma refugees have faced their own struggles, including citizenship disputes in Arunachal Pradesh. The Chakma language and script are taught in some schools; cultural festivals maintain tradition. The Chakma diaspora, including communities in India and abroad, supports homeland advocacy. The Chakma demonstrate the precarious situation of indigenous minorities in South Asia, caught between state development policies, demographic pressures, and struggles for cultural and territorial survival.
References
- Schendel, W. van (1992). The Invention of the "Jummas": State Formation and Ethnicity in Southeastern Bangladesh
- Mohsin, A. (1997). The Politics of Nationalism: The Case of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
- Roy, R. D. (2000). Land Rights of the Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh