>Worldbruce at 16:21, 2 January 2021

2021-01-02T16:21:51Z

New page

{{Bengal Zamindars series}}

The '''Chakma Circle''' (Chakma: 𑄌𑄇𑄴𑄟𑄳𑄦 𑄥𑄢𑄴𑄇𑄬𑄣𑄴), also known as the '''Chakma Raj''', is one of three hereditary chiefdoms (or "circles") in the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]] of modern-day [[Bangladesh]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/?id=XvWBCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA194&dq=%22chakma+circle%22#v=onepage&q=%22chakma%20circle%22&f=false |title=Agrarian change in tropical landscapes |last=Deakin |first=Liz |last2=Kshatriya |first2=Mrigesh |last3=Sunderland |first3=Terry |year=2016 |publisher=CIFOR |page=194 |isbn=9786023870226 |language=en}}</ref> The Chakma Circle encompasses parts of [[Rangamati Hill District]] and [[Dighinala Upazila|Dighinala]] and [[Rajasthali Upazila]]s in neighbouring [[Khagrachari District]] and [[Bandarban District]] respectively. The chiefdom's members are of [[Chakma people|Chakma descent]].

== Leadership ==
The Chakma Circle is led by a hereditary chieftain called a "raja," whose role encompasses judicial, administrative, ceremonial, legal and social responsibilities. Political power is passed from the father to the first-born son.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ahmed |first=Kawser |year=2010 |title=Defining 'Indigenous' in Bangladesh: International Law in Domestic Context |journal=International Journal on Minority and Group Rights |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=47–73 |jstor=24675834 |doi=10.1163/157181110X12595859744169}}</ref>

The incumbent chieftain is [[Raja Devasish Roy|Devasish Roy]] (b. 10 April 1959), according to the ''Chakma Bijok'', a compilation of the Chakma history (1876-1934 [[Common Era|CE]]). The Chakma chieftain also sits on the Advisory Council for the [[Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs]] and the [[Rangamati Hill District Council]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://peaceaccords.nd.edu/sites/default/files/accords/Chittagong_Hill_Tracts_Peace_Accord.pdf |title=Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord |date=1997-12-02 |access-date=2018-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121094208/https://peaceaccords.nd.edu/sites/default/files/accords/Chittagong_Hill_Tracts_Peace_Accord.pdf |archive-date=2018-11-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Chakma chieftain leads a "rajpunnah" festival.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-74322 |title=Rajpunnah in Bandarban today |date=2009-02-04 |work=The Daily Star |access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref>

== History ==
===Pre-colonial era===
The lineage of Chakma chieftains may date to the 11th century or mid-16th century.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dowlah |first=Caf |date=October 2013 |title=Jumma insurgency in Chittagong Hills Tracts: how serious is the threat to Bangladesh's national integration and what can be done? |journal=Small Wars & Insurgencies |volume=24 |issue=5 |pages=773–794 |doi=10.1080/09592318.2013.866419 |issn=0959-2318}}</ref> Chakma folklore and tradition ascribe the Chakma origins to the warrior castes of [[Bhagalpur]] in modern-day India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Serajuddin |first=A. M. |last2=Buller |first2=John |year=1984 |title=The Chakma Tribe of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the 18th Century |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland |issue=1 |pages=90–98 |jstor=25211628}}</ref> The legendary raja [[Bijoy Giri]] (c. 1630), who is believed to have migrated the ancestors of the Chakma people north of the [[Naf River]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.460846 |title=An Account of the Chittagong Hill Tracts |last=Hutchinson |first=Robert Henry Sneyd |date=1906 |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Book Depot |page=xvii |language=en}}</ref> Through intermarriages with the [[Rakhine people]], the Chakmas eventually converted to Buddhism.<ref name=":1" /> Extant historical records date to the 1700s. Following the expansion of the [[Mughal Empire]] into Chakma territory, Chakma chieftains adopted Muslim names and titles (e.g., [[Khan (title)|Khan]]) in exchange for tributary payments.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jhala |first=Angma D. |date=January 2013 |title=Daughters of the Hills: legacies of colonialism, nationalism and religious communalism in the Chakma Raj family, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bengal c. 1900–1972 |journal=South Asian History and Culture |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=107–125 |doi=10.1080/19472498.2012.750460 |issn=1947-2498}}</ref>

=== British rule and modern era ===
During British rule, the Chittagong Hill Tracts were administratively divided into three circles in 1884, namely the Chakma Circle, the [[Bohmong Circle]], and the [[Mong Circle]]s, each presided over by a hereditary chief from the [[Chakma people|Chakma]] and [[Marma people]]s.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite report |last=Kundu |first=Debasish |last2=Samadder |first2=Mrinmoy |last3=Khan |first3=Ashrafuzzaman |last4=Shajahan Naomi |first4=Sharin |date=January 2011 |title=State of Justice in Chittagong Hill Tracts: Exploring the Formal and Informal Justice Institutions of Indigenous Communities |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281294250 |publisher=BRAC}}</ref> The circles were codified into law with the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulations, 1900]], which eased revenue collection and administrative burdens on British authorities by delegating tax collection, land administration management and social arbitration responsibilities to the chieftains.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-121974 |title=Bandarban wears festive look as Rajpunyah starts |date=2010-01-15 |work=The Daily Star |access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref> In 1901, the Bohmong Circle extended {{Convert|2421|mi2|km2}}.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.460846 |title=An Account of the Chittagong Hill Tracts |last=Hutchinson |first=Robert Henry Sneyd |date=1906 |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Book Depot |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.460846/page/n145 122] |language=en}}</ref> This administrative structure remained in place until 1964, when the introduction of local self-government abolished the special status of these circles and brought local administration under the control of the central government.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zaman |first=M. Q. |date=16 January 1982 |title=Crisis in Chittagong Hill Tracts: Ethnicity and Integration |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=75–80 |jstor=4370578}}</ref>

==List of leaders==
1. Shakya
2. Sudhanya
3. Langal Dhan
4. Kshudrajit
5. Samudrajit
6. Shyamal
7. Champakali
8. Sadang Giri
9. Chengyasur
10. Chandsur
11. Sumesur
12. Bhimanjoy
14. Sambuddha
15. Udaigiri
16. Bijoygiri
17. Shakalia
18. Manikbi
19. Manikgiri
20. Madalia
21. Kamal Chega
22. Ratan Giri
23. Kala Thongza
24. Sher Matya
25. Arunjug
26. Chanda Thongza
27. Moisang
28. Manikya
29. Kadam Thongza
30. Tin Sureswari
31. Janu
32. Rani Janu
33. Sathua
34. Dhabana
35. Dharamya
36. Mogalya
37. Jubal Khan
38. Fateh Khan
39. Sher Must Khan
40. Shukdev Roy
41. Sher Daulat Khan
42. Jan Bux Khan (1787-1800)
43. Tabbar Khan (1800-1801)
44. Jabbar Khan (1801-1812)
45. Dharam Bux Khan (1812-1832)
Manager-Shuklal Dewan
46. [[Kalindi (rani)|Kalindi Rani]] (1832-1873)
47. [[Harish Chandra (raja)|Harish Chandra Rai Bahadur]] (1873-1885)
47A. Court of Wards (Nil Chandra Dewan & Trilochan Dewan) (1885-1897)
48. [[Bhuvan Mohan Roy]] (1897-1934)
49. [[Nalinaksha Roy]] (1934-1951)
50. [[Tridev Roy]] (1951-1971)
50A. Samit Roy [Regent](1971-1977)
51. [[Devashish Roy]] (1977–present)

== See also ==
* [[Marma people]]
* [[Bohmong Circle]]
* [[Mong Circle]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Bengal Zamindars}}

[[Category:Chakma Royal Family|.]]
[[Category:Chakma people]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi Buddhists| ]]
[[Category:Rangamati Hill District]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of British India]]
[[Category:History of Bengal]]
[[Category:Quasi-princely estates of India]]
[[Category:Lands inhabited by indigenous peoples]]
[[Category:History of Chittagong Division]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi families]]

Chakma Circle - Revision history

>Worldbruce at 16:21, 2 January 2021