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Chittagong Hill Tracts

Coordinates: 22°33′00″N 92°17′00″E / 22.5500°N 92.2833°E / 22.5500; 92.2833
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Chittagong Hill Tracts
পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম
Kaptai National Park
Kaptai National Park
The three current Chittagong Hill Tracts statistical districts combined shown within Bangladesh.
The three current Chittagong Hill Tracts statistical districts combined shown within Bangladesh.
Country Bangladesh
DivisionChittagong Division
DistrictsBandarban • Khagrachhari • Rangamati
Upazilas
Area
 • Total
13,344.3 km2 (5,152.3 sq mi)
 • Land12,052.8 km2 (4,653.6 sq mi)
 • Water1,291.5 km2 (498.7 sq mi)
Elevation
17 m (56 ft)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
1,842,815
 • Density140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zoneBST
 • Summer (DST)+06:00

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bengali: পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম, romanized: Pārbôtyô Côṭṭôgrām), often shortened to simply the Hill Tracts and abbreviated to CHT, refers to the three hilly districts within the Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar (Burma) in the east: Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban. Covering 13,295 square kilometres (5,133 sq mi), CHT is a extensively hilly area and home to a variety of tribal peoples in Bangladesh. The CHT were divided by the British in the 19th century into three tribal chieftaincies, the Chakma Circle, the Mong Circle and the Bohmong Circle. They formed a single district until 1984, when they were divided into three separate districts.[1]

Geography

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See also: Rangamati Hill District § Geography

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is a extensive hilly area in Bangladesh, lie in the southeastern part of the country (210 25' N to 230 45' N latitude and 910 54' E to 920 50' E longitude) bordering the Indian state of Tripura on the north, Rakhine State of Myanmar on the south, Chin state of Myanmar and Indian state Mizoram on the east, Chittagong District and Cox's Bazar District on the west. The area of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is about 13,184 km2, which is approximately one-tenth of the total area of Bangladesh. The Chittagong Hill Tracts combine three hilly districts of Bangladesh: Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts.[2]

Keokradong, the highest peak of the Bangladesh situated in the region.

The mountainous rugged terrain with deep forests, lakes and falls gives it a different character from the rest of Bangladesh. Karnaphuli River, Sangu River are the main river of CHT.

Saka Haphong, the highest peak of Bangladesh, is located here. Though officially Tazing Dong is declared as the highest peak, it is also located here. Keokradong is another famous peak in this area.

Topography

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The landscape of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is predominantly hilly, featuring a series of parallel ridges with altitudes ranging from 200 to over 1,000 meters above sea level. The highest peak in Bangladesh, Keokradong (986 meters), is located in Bandarban district. The terrain consists of steep slopes, narrow valleys, and occasional flatlands, making it distinct from the rest of Bangladesh’s floodplains.

The Kaptai lake, situated in the middle of the region.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts are traversed by several important rivers, the largest being the Karnaphuli River, which originates in the hills and flows into the Bay of Bengal. The Kaptai Dam, built on the Karnaphuli River, has created Kaptai Lake, the largest artificial lake in Bangladesh. Other significant rivers include the Sangu, Matamuhuri, and Feni Rivers.

The region is home to tropical and subtropical evergreen forests, which support a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The forests include species such as teak, garjan, and bamboo. The wildlife of CHT features mammals like elephants, leopards, and deer, along with a variety of bird species. However, deforestation and human activities have led to ecological challenges in recent years.

The soil in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is mostly red and yellow sandy loam, which is less fertile compared to the alluvial soils of the Bangladeshi plains. Due to the steep slopes, jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation is traditionally practiced by the indigenous communities. However, efforts are being made to introduce sustainable agricultural methods to prevent soil erosion and land degradation.

Dumlong peak

Natural Resources

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The region is rich in natural resources, including timber, bamboo, and various minerals. Kaptai Lake has also become an important source of hydroelectric power, contributing to Bangladesh’s energy supply. However, environmental concerns have been raised due to deforestation, resource extraction, and changes in land use.

Land use and environment

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Tobacco cultivation

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Tobacco cultivation is damaging the ecology of the area, with the loss of indigenous trees such as Chukrasia tabularis (Indian mahogany), and soil fertility.

Most of the farmers of Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari have been losing their interest in cultivating their own indigenous crops after defaulting on loans provided by tobacco companies.[3]

Environmental issues

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Nilachol, Bandarban

Like other mountainous areas in South and Southeast Asia, the Chittagong Hill Tracts are undergoing deforestation and land degradation arising from environmentally unsuitable activities such as tobacco cultivation in sloping land, shifting cultivation and logging.[4] Shifting cultivation, also known as slash-and-burn agriculture or swidden cultivation, embraces a large variety of primitive forms of agriculture. It is a unique stage in the evolution from hunting and food gathering to sedentary farming. Humankind began to change its mode of life from food gatherer to food producer about 7000 B.C. by adopting shifting cultivation. Some form of shifting cultivation has been practised in most parts of the world, but more intensive forms of agriculture have subsequently replaced it.[5]

Bamboo Transportation to Karnaphuli Paper Mills, Kaptai, Rangamati

The present shifting cultivation system with short fallow periods in the Chittagong Hill Tracts has accelerated erosion, land degradation, deforestation, and impoverishment of tribal people in CHT. If the present state of degradation is continued, most of the areas under shifting cultivation will be severely degraded[6] and future generations will face more difficulties in eking out their livelihoods on further degraded land, although there is some scope for shifting cultivators to leave the degraded fields and move to other areas. It is estimated that on average eight hectares of land is necessary for the sustenance of a family in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. If this ratio is adopted, 1,240,000 ha land is required to sustain the present population; however, the total land available, excluding the reserve forest, is 928,000 ha. Shifting cultivation, therefore, cannot fulfill even the subsistence requirements of the people. In such a situation, either large non-farm employment opportunities need to be created or more productive land-use systems need to be developed and adopted. Given the sluggish growth of the economy, there is limited scope for generating adequate non-farming employment opportunities in the near future. It is, therefore, imperative to replace the present shifting cultivation system with more productive and sustainable land use systems to enable people to secure their livelihoods.[7]

Climate

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The region experiences a tropical monsoon climate, with high temperatures and significant seasonal variations in precipitation. Annual rainfall averages between 2,000 and 3,500 millimeters, mostly occurring during the monsoon season from June to September. Winters are mild and dry, while summers are hot and humid.[8]

Climate data for Chittagong Hill Tracts, 2005
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31.7
(89.1) 		35.0
(95.0) 		37.8
(100.0) 		38.9
(102.0) 		42.2
(108.0) 		37.8
(100.0) 		35.6
(96.1) 		37.7
(99.9) 		35.6
(96.1) 		35.6
(96.1) 		33.3
(91.9) 		31.7
(89.1) 		36.2
(97.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 20.5
(68.9) 		22.8
(73.0) 		26.5
(79.7) 		28.5
(83.3) 		28.8
(83.8) 		28.1
(82.6) 		27.7
(81.9) 		28.0
(82.4) 		28.5
(83.3) 		27.7
(81.9) 		25.0
(77.0) 		21.8
(71.2) 		26.2
(79.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1) 		7.2
(45.0) 		11.1
(52.0) 		17.2
(63.0) 		19.4
(66.9) 		20.6
(69.1) 		22.8
(73.0) 		22.2
(72.0) 		22.2
(72.0) 		18.3
(64.9) 		12.8
(55.0) 		9.4
(48.9) 		15.8
(60.4)
Source: Khan (2005)[9]

History

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It has been a warzone between the Arakan Kingdom, Chakma kingdom and the Twipra Kingdom.

In the early 13th century the Chakma people settled from Arakan (Burma) before the Mughal and Bengali people settlement, due to defeat from the Rakhine king. The Chakmas are the single largest indigenous group, comprising half of the indigenous population. The Marma people are the second largest tribe. They came from Burma when Arakan was conquered by Burmese king Bodawpaya. The place was ruled by the Chakma king there was a conflict between the Chakma king and Mughals in which the Chakma king agreed to pay tribute of cotton to the Mughals.[10]

Mughal and early British records name the region Jum Bungoo, Jum mahal or Kapas mahal.[11][12] In 1787, the East India Company made the region its tributary after battling Chakma raja and agreeing on peace treaty.

Under British control, the British East India Company in order to suppress the Chakma queen power Kalindi Rani divided the hills into three parts. This was done in regional areas known as Chakma Circle, Mong Circle, and Bohmong Circle. The early colonial history of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is a record of recurring raids by the eastern hill indigenous (Mizo or Lushai) and of the operations undertaken by the British to repress them.[citation needed]

British rule

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The use of the name Chittagong for this area dates to the 1860 British annexation of the region, bringing it under the direct control of British India. Situated beyond the inland hills, Chittagong proper is a coastal area in the plains where the British were based. As colonial influence grew, "Chittagong" enlarged as well, expanding eastwards[13] to subsume the Hill Tracts under its revenue-collection territory.[12]

The recorded population increased from 69,607 in 1872 to 101,597 in 1881, to 107,286 in 1891, and to 124,762 in 1901. The census of 1872 was, however, very imperfect, and the actual population growth probably did not exceed what might be expected in a sparsely inhabited but fairly healthy tract.[14]

When the 1901 census was taken there were no towns, and 211 of the villages had populations of less than 500 apiece; only one exceeded 2,000. The population density, excluding the area of uninhabited forest (1,385 square miles), was 33 persons per square mile. There was a little immigration from Chittagong, and a few persons had emigrated to Tripura. The proportion of females to every 100 males was only 90 in the district-born and 83 in the total population. That time Buddhists numbered 100,000, Hindus 50,000, and Muslims 3,000.[15]

End of British rule

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See also: Radcliffe Line § Chittagong Hill Tracts

Conflict

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Main article: Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict

Demography

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Ethnicity

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Main articles: Ethnic groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Jumma people

According to the census of 2022, the population of the Rangamati District, Khagrachhari District, Bandarban District totaled 1,842,815, of whom 920,248 (49.94%) were tribal people. Population of ethnic minorities are: Chakma 454,925, Marma 209,783, Tripura 133,372, Mro 51,724, Tanchangya 42,943, Bom 12,311, Khyang 4,176, Khumi 3,341, Chak 2,725, Pankho 1,458 and Lushei 216. They differ markedly from the Bengali majority of Bangladesh in language, ethnicity and religion. The population density was roughly 140 per square kilometer.[16]

Ethnicity in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (2022)[17]
  1. Bengali (50.06%)
  2. Chakma (24.68%)
  3. Marma (11.38%)
  4. Tripura (7.23%)
  5. Mro (2.8%)
  6. Tanchangya (2.33%)
  7. Bom (0.67%)
  8. Khyang (0.23%)
  9. Khumi (0.18%)
  10. Chak (0.15%)
  11. Pankho (0.08%)
  12. Lushei (0.01%)
  13. Others (0.2%)

Religion

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According to the 2022 Bangladeshi census, Islam is the largest religion in chittagong hill tracts (44.52%). But, tribes are mainly followers of Buddhism (41.74%).[18]

Religion in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (2022)[19]
  1. Islam (44.52%)
  2. Buddhism (41.74%)
  3. Hinduism (9.18%)
  4. Christianity (3.26%)
  5. Other (1.3%)

Bibliography

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References

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  1. ^ Ghanea, Nazila (2005). Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 117. ISBN 9004143017.
  2. ^ Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs http://www.mochta.gov.bd/
  3. ^ Chakma, Shantimoy (21 May 2009). "Tobacco cultivation poses threat to environment in CHT". The Daily Star. Rangamati. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  4. ^ Rasul, 2009.
  5. ^ Rasul and Thapa, 2003. Factors influencing shifting cultivation in South and Southeast Asia
  6. ^ Rasul, 2009
  7. ^ Rasul et al., 2004
  8. ^ https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Chittagong_Hill_Tracts
  9. ^ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Monthly-maximum-minimum-and-average-temperature-in-Chittagong-Hill-Tracts_tbl1_43562899
  10. ^ "Brief History". CHT Commission. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  11. ^ Geiger, Danilo (2008). Frontier Encounters: Indigenous Communities and Settlers in Asia and Latin America. International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. p. 487. ISBN 978-87-91563-15-7.
  12. ^ a b Ghanea-Hercock, Nazila; Xanthaki, Alexandra; Thornberry, Patrick (2005). Minorities, Peoples And Self-determination. Martinus Nijhoff. p. 115. ISBN 90-04-14301-7.
  13. ^ International Labour Office (2000). Traditional occupations of indigenous and tribal peoples. International Labour Organization. p. 73. ISBN 978-92-2-112258-6. The Chittagong Hill Tracts is a misnomer. This was the name given to this region after its annexation [...]
  14. ^ "Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 319 – Imperial Gazetteer of India – Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu.
  15. ^ "Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 320 – Imperial Gazetteer of India – Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu.
  16. ^ "বাংলাদেশ পরিসংখ্যান ব্যুরো".
  17. ^ "বাংলাদেশ পরিসংখ্যান ব্যুরো".
  18. ^ "Population Census 2022: A CHT demographic analysis". Parbatta News. 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Population Census 2022: A CHT demographic analysis". Parbatta News. 19 September 2022.

Citations

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Wikiquote has quotations related to Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Chittagong Hill Tracts.

22°33′00″N 92°17′00″E / 22.5500°N 92.2833°E / 22.5500; 92.2833

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