Early History of Chittagong Hill Tracts
The coastal plains of Chittagong have always been coveted by the peoples of the region
Chittagong Hill Tracts in British Period
Chittagong Hill Tracts were independent like other indigenous peoples of the world...
Before the colonization started by the British, the indigenous Jumma people of Chittagong Hill Tracts were independent like other indigenous peoples of the world. There had been no external interference by any outside power in the affairs of the CHT until 1787.
British colonization here actually started in 1860. From
1787 to 1860 the British government did not intervene in the internal
administration of the CHT until the Soldiers Mutiny in 1857. the British Government took
over the direct administration of their Indian colonies from the East
India Company. In 1860, by Act XXII, the Chakma kingdom of Chadigang
(or Chittagong) was divided into two districts named Chittagong and Chittagong
Hill Tracts. Chittagong was included into Bengal Province of India which
soon became completely populated with the Bangladeshi (people of modern day Bangladesh)
people and the
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) was directly administered by British Government as.
For the
maintenance of discipline among the police personnel in the CHT, Frontier
Police Regulation III of 1881 was promulgated on the 7 December 1881 and CHT
Police Force was raised with indigenous Jumma people.
In 1900, the British enacted
the Regulation 1 of the 1900 CHT Act in order to protect the
indigenous people from economic exploitation of Bengali Muslims
and to preserve their traditional, social, cultural
and political institutions based on customary laws,
common ownership of land and so on. Throughout the
British colonial period the 1900 CHT Act functioned as a
safeguard for the indigenous people, prohibited land ownership
and migrations of Bengali Muslimss in the CHT.
In 1947, Indian subcontinent was partitioned on the basis of
religion, Pakistan for Muslims and secular India for non
Muslims and Muslims alike. Despite 98.5% of the
population of the CHT were indigenous Jummas and thus non Muslims,
the Pakistani leadership conspired with the British Boundary Commission.
The British Boundary Commission ceded the CHT to East
Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in violation of the principles
of partition and against the wishes of the indigenous people.
The indigenous vehemently protested against the decision, but
to no avail. On 15 August, 1947 the indigenous youths under
the leadership of Sneha Kumar Chakma hoisted tricolor
Indian flag in Rangamati and Burmese flag in Bandarban. Six days later
the Indian flag in Rangamati was lowered by the Pakistani
Army at gun point.
Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/ab/jumma/bground.html
http://unpo.org/members/7867