Tribal Communities in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is by and large religiously, ethnically and linguistically homogeneous. Its population of nearly 163 million (estimated 20161) comprised of roughly 90 percent Muslim, with about 7% Hindus and others mainly following Buddhism and Christianity. Close to 99 percent speak Bengali. The overwhelming numbers of people are ethnic Bengalis although they are a mixed group containing Aryan, Dravidian, Mongoloid and other racial traits. However, all across its territory, a large number of minority groups inhabit most of whom continue to keep their distinct ethnic traits, social institutions and organizations, and cultural traditions. In other words, many of them could be taken as ‘indigenous peoples’ as defined in various UN human rights instruments and policies, including the World Bank’s safeguards policy OP 4.10. The Government of Bangladesh has generally preferred to use the term ‘tribal/tribe’ (Upajati in Bengali) or most recently, ‘small ethnic groups’ or ‘ethnic minorities’ rather than officially recognizing the presence of ‘indigenous peoples’ within the national territory. This is despite the growing presence and importance given to the subject in recent public debates. The Small Ethnic Groups Cultural Institution Act 2010 uses the term “khudronrigoshthhi” (small ethnic groups) to refer to the indigenous peoples. However, in the definitions section, when explaining the meaning of the term “khudronrigoshthhi”, it uses the term “adibashi”, the Bengali equivalent of indigenous or aboriginal. A 2011 amendment to the Constitution refers to the indigenous peoples of Bangladesh as “tribes”, “minor races” and “ethnic sects and communities”. According to the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, an apex advocacy and networking organization of the ethnic minorities, there are 3 million tribal peoples residing in Bangladesh territory largely concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) districts (Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban) in Chittagong Division. In any estimate, tribal peoples constitute no more than between 1-2% of the total population of Bangladesh. The total number of indigenous groups is also a matter of much disagreement. The 1991 census mentions 29 groups. The recently adopted Small Ethnic Minority Cultural Institution Act (April 2010) mentions 27 different groups which is at present under revision and proposes 50 different groups. The Bangladesh Adivasi Forum includes as many as 45 indigenous groups as per one of their publications (Solidarity, 2003). A proposed draft law, called Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples‟ Rights Act, by Bangladesh Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Peoples – a group of parliamentarians who advocate for the rights of the country’s ethnic minority/indigenous peoples – enlists as many as 59 distinct ethnic minority groups. Yet a further study (2015) commissioned by UNDP for mapping of the different ‘indigenous peoples’ communities‟ could not draw a ‘definitive conclusion’ on the exact number. The reason stems partly from a vibrant movement of ethnic minority communities in recent years – particularly since the signing of the CHT Accord in December 1997 - with more marginalized groups increasingly becoming aware and assertive of their identity. Notwithstanding the confusion about the exact number of the ethnic minority groups in Bangladesh, the project, for the purpose of its interventions, will adopt the World Bank’s criteria for the identification of the indigenous peoples (i.e. ethnic minorities) which are as follows; • self-identification as members of a distinct indigenous cultural group and recognition of this identity by others; • collective attachment to geographically distinct habitats or ancestral territories in the project area and to the natural resources in these habitats and territories; • customary cultural, economic, social, or political institutions that are separate from those of the dominant society and culture; and • adistinct language, often different from official language of the country/ region. Although the ethnic minorities are scattered all over Bangladesh, they are overwhelminglyconcentrated in several geographical pockets; namely North-West (Rajshahi & Dinajpur), North-East (Sylhet), Central region (Dhaka and Mymensingh), South (Barishal & Patuakhali), with the most significant concentration in the south-eastern corner – the Chittagong Hill Tracts.