Chittagonian peoples facts for kids

The Chittagonian peoples are different groups of people who live in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh. These groups include the Tripuris, Rakhines, Chakmas, and many others. They have lived in this area for a long time.

The people from the Chittagong Hill Tracts often look similar to people from Myanmar and other countries in Southeast Asia. This is because they share some common history and culture with these regions.

What Languages Do They Speak?

The Chittagonian people speak the Chittagonian language. This language is part of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes languages like Bengali and Assamese.

The government of Bangladesh considers Chittagonian to be a dialect of Bengali. However, many people who speak Chittagonian cannot easily understand Bengali, and vice versa. This means they are not "mutually intelligible," even if they are related.

Where Do They Live and What Are Their Beliefs?

These groups live in the Chittagong division, which is in the southeastern part of Bangladesh.

Most of the Chittagonian people follow Theravada Buddhism. This is a branch of Buddhism that is also common in countries like Thailand and Myanmar. There are also many Hindus among them. In recent times, more people from other parts of Bangladesh have moved to the region. Because of this, Muslims now make up the largest group among the newcomers in the area.

A Brief Look at Their History

There was a time when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, known as East Pakistan. During this period, the flag of India was raised in a place called Rangamati for three days. However, the Pakistani government soon took the flag down. This event shows a small part of the region's history during a time of change.

Images for kids

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  Tripuris of Bangladesh

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  Chakma tribe woman of Bangladesh