This document summarizes the persecution faced by indigenous peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh from 1947-1998. It describes how the local Buddhist and Hindu tribes were displaced and their lands taken as the Pakistani and later Bangladeshi governments settled Muslim populations in the area. It outlines how dams and development projects further displaced indigenous people without compensation. Armed resistance groups formed but faced repression, while the indigenous population declined as many were killed, converted to Islam, or fled to neighboring India as refugees.

1. Presentation
based on a book
by Saradindu Mukherji
Subjects, citizens and refugees
Tragedy in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
(1947-1998)

2. These people were compelled to leave their homes
Like
Hindus/Buddhist of Bangladesh,
Hindu/Christians of Pakistan,
Internally displaced people of HAPPENS
ISLAMISATION India’s own Kashmir Valley
UNIVERSALLY
American Christians by the Turkish Muslims
Parsis from Islamic Iran to India
and
Coptic Christians of Egypt.

3. History of CHT
• Chittagong hill tract was to be a part of India on
‘culture and religious grounds’.
• But Pakistan argued that CHT was the only
source of hydro-electric power in East-Bengal.
• After CHT was given to Pakistan, the Pakistani
government began settling the Bengali Muslims
from other areas of East Pakistan there.

4. Islam brings ecological destruction
• The local people were put to clear off the
Jungles and burn the plantations.
• Deforestation thus turned vast stretches of
land barren, caused soil erosion, dried up
water for irrigation.
• The reason for fast disappearing green
coverage as found by Loffler was the military’s
preference for ‘bare hills all around’.

5. Kaptai Dam-Ethnic Cleansing
• Kaptai dam project displaced one sixth of total
indigenous population.
• It submerged 250 square miles of fertile
agricultural land.
• Most of the Jummas never got compensation
and 90% Jummas were left homeless and
landless.
• Soon the entire villages were grabbed by the
Muslim outsiders.

6. Shanti Bahini
• Shanti Bahini was formed in 1972 to preserve the
rights of the tribal people in south-eastern
Bangladesh.
• Shanti Bahini’s main demand was the prevention of
infiltration of outside and regional autonomy.
• The forcible resettlement of hill people in ‘strategic
villages was undertaken in order to deny civilian
support to the ‘Shanti Bahini.’

7. “Muslims are religious and
fanatical, and they are more
fanatical about there religion than
about anything else.”
British High Commissioner, Karachi, 5 may 1948

8. Increase in Muslim Population in CHT
Muslim Population
50.00%
45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00% Muslim Population
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
1872 1961 1981 Currenly

9. The Survival International
“Normally the soldiers surround a village, round up all
men, women and children, and then subject them to
different sort of torture. The men and the boys are shot
dead or crippled by having their fingers and legs broken.
Many of the victims succumb to the injuries and those who
survive become invalidated for life. They are not provided
with any kind of medical treatment. Evidently the men and
boys are often crippled to prevent them from holding
weapons. The girls and the housewives are raped.”

10. Islamisation of CHT

11. Persecution of CHT people by Muslims
• Muslim police reviled Buddhist
monks, slaughtered a cow on their robes and
sprinkled blood on a statue of the Buddha.
• Young girls and women were raped by police
and army personnel.
• The disturbed Areas Law of 1981, had given
the lowest ranking army and police personnel
unrestricted powers to shoot anyone
suspected of anti-state activities.

12. Massacre of Non-Muslims
• More than 300 non-Muslims were butchered
at Kaukali Bazaar ground by Muslims.
• Hot water was poured into the eyes of one
Jyotirmoy Diwan.
• The army personnel killed toddlers by
smashing them on ground.
• Women and girls were gang raped and then
massacred, houses were looted and set on
fire.

13. Forceful Conversion
• Survival International reported that the
Bangladeshi military junta devised a secret
plan to force the jumma to become Muslims.
• They marry tribal girls to assimilate with tribal
people.
• Some Buddhist monks were forced to perform
namaz.

14. Based on the official secret documents
(Bangladesh)
The Survival International Report(1984)
600000
500000
400000
300000 Muslim Infiltrators
200000
100000
0
1980 1981

15. Repatriation
• Jummas never wanted to return to CHT. They
said ‘they would rather die of starvation and
disease in India than return to CHT.’
• Still some Jummas were repatriated in 1982
and 19984.
• But they found their houses and possessions in
Bengali hands. A great number died of
starvation. They were subjected to inhuman
torture, killing, rape,

16. Refugees in Arunachal Pradesh
Due to the fault of India’s foreign policy
makers led by Nehru, about 40,000
Chakmas and Hajongs took shelter in
NEFA(Arunachal Pradesh)

17. Government of India(GOI)
• Refugees facing death out of starvation
– In august 1991, the supply of milk and milk
powder was stopped
– In October 1992, supply of masur dal was
stopped.
– In December 1992 amount paid(20 paisa) to buy
dry fish and chilly was allegedly stopped.
– In January 1993, supply of edible oil was ceased.

18. “How can we go back when our Minister Oli
Ahmad, made it clear during his last visit here
that the Bangladesh Government does not gain
if the refugees return, nor it lose anything if we
do not?’
The statesman, 9 August 1993. ‘Chakma
Hesitancy’

19. • Perhaps first and the last occasion when in
1971 India took up the cause of the Non-
Muslim minorities in the neighboring.
• Government of India considered it
inappropriate to publicize the plight of CHT
victims.