Mro people
Encyclopedia
The Mros also known as Murangs (Bengali
: মুরং) or Mru, are a community inhabiting the Chittagong Hill Tracts
of Bangladesh
and also in Burma with a population of 21,963 in Bangladesh according to the 1991 census. The Mros are the 2nd largest tribal group in Bandarban District
of the Chittagong Hill Tracts
. A small group of Mros also live in Rangamati Hill District.
They primarily speak the Mru language
, a Tibeto-Burman
language, and one of the recognized languages of Bangladesh
. The Mru language is considered "definitely endangered" by UNESCO
in June 2010.
The Mru people live near the intersection of Myanmar
, Bangladesh and India
. Many Mru live within the Yoma
District and the Arakan hills of Rakhine State
in western Myanmar.
. But in the late 18th century they were attacked and defeated by another tribe Khumi
and were forced to take shelter in the present Bandarban District
. But still now there are Mros living on the bank of the Mi, a tributary of the Koladan river in Arakan
, Burma.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
: মুরং) or Mru, are a community inhabiting the Chittagong Hill Tracts
Chittagong Hill Tracts
The Chittagong Hill Tracts comprise an area of 13,295 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, and borders India and Myanmar . It was a single district of Bangladesh until 1984. In that year it was divided into three separate districts: Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban. Topographically, this is the...
of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and also in Burma with a population of 21,963 in Bangladesh according to the 1991 census. The Mros are the 2nd largest tribal group in Bandarban District
Bandarban District
Bandarban is a district in South-Eastern Bangladesh, and a part of the Chittagong Division and Chittagong Hill Tracts. Bandarban , or in Marma or Arakanese language as "Rwa-daw Mro" is also known as Arvumi or the Bohmong Circle Bandarban is a district in South-Eastern Bangladesh, and a part of...
of the Chittagong Hill Tracts
Chittagong Hill Tracts
The Chittagong Hill Tracts comprise an area of 13,295 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, and borders India and Myanmar . It was a single district of Bangladesh until 1984. In that year it was divided into three separate districts: Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban. Topographically, this is the...
. A small group of Mros also live in Rangamati Hill District.
They primarily speak the Mru language
Mru language
The Mru language is a part of Tibeto-Burman languages and one of the recognized languages of Bangladesh.It is spoken by a community of Mros inhabiting the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and also in Burma with a population of 21,963 in Bangladesh according to the 1991 census. The Mros are the...
, a Tibeto-Burman
Tibeto-Burman languages
The Tibeto-Burman languages are the non-Chinese members of the Sino-Tibetan language family, over 400 of which are spoken thoughout the highlands of southeast Asia, as well as lowland areas in Burma ....
language, and one of the recognized languages of Bangladesh
Languages of Bangladesh
Although there are 38 different languages of Bangladesh, Bengali is by far the most widely spoken language in the country – an estimated 98% of the population can speak it, and it enjoys the status of official language and the lingua franca of the nation. Arabic text is widely used in education...
. The Mru language is considered "definitely endangered" by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in June 2010.
The Mru people live near the intersection of Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Bangladesh and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Many Mru live within the Yoma
Arakan Yoma
The Arakan Mountains is a mountain range in western Burma , between the coast of Rakhine State and the Central Burma Basin, in which flows the Irrawaddy River...
District and the Arakan hills of Rakhine State
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
in western Myanmar.
History
Originally the Mros lived in ArakanRakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
. But in the late 18th century they were attacked and defeated by another tribe Khumi
Khumi people
The Khumis , are a community inhabiting in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The Khumis are one of smallest ethnic groups in Bangladesh with a population of only 1214 according to the 1991 census , though there are another 120,000 across the border in Burma.-History:Among the ethnic groups in...
and were forced to take shelter in the present Bandarban District
Bandarban District
Bandarban is a district in South-Eastern Bangladesh, and a part of the Chittagong Division and Chittagong Hill Tracts. Bandarban , or in Marma or Arakanese language as "Rwa-daw Mro" is also known as Arvumi or the Bohmong Circle Bandarban is a district in South-Eastern Bangladesh, and a part of...
. But still now there are Mros living on the bank of the Mi, a tributary of the Koladan river in Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
, Burma.
Further reading
- "Indigenous Peoples Development Planning Document: Indigenous Peoples Development Plan: Bangladesh: Chittagong Hill", Asian Development BankAsian Development BankThe Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
- "Become Acquainted With The Peace-Loving Mru", bangladesh.com
- "From the land of the sunrise", Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 18–24, 2006, Life & Struggles of the Mro People in Bangladesh.
- van Schendel, Willem, "A Politics of Nudity: Photographs of the ‘Naked Mru’ of Bangladesh", Modern Asian Studies, 36, 2 (2002), pp. 341–374. Cambridge University Press
- Chowdhury, Mohammad Shaheed Hossain; et al., "Indigenous knowledge in natural resource utilization by the hill people: A case of the Mro tribe in Bangladesh"
- Brauns, Claus-Dieter; Löffler, Lorenz G., Mru: hill people on the border of Bangladesh, Birkhäuser Verlag, 1990
- "Asian People Group Profiles: Bangladesh: The Mru", Asia Harvest
- Peterson, David A., "Where does Mru fit into Tibeto-Burman?", The 42nd International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (ICSTLL 42), November 2009, Payap UniversityPayap UniversityPayap University established in 1974, is a private institution founded by the Church of Christ in Thailand. Payap is a founding member of the Association of Private Higher Education Institutions in Thailand, and an active member of the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia, as...
, ChiangmaiChiang MaiChiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
, ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Cf. p. 14.
External links
- "Meet the indigenous people of the Bandarban Hilltracts, The Mru: A hidden tribe", Bangladesh EcoTours