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Chittagong Hill Tracts

district, Bangladesh

Quick Summary

The Chittagong Hill Tracts are a hilly region in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar. This area is sparsely populated and is home to various indigenous ethnic groups, including the Chakma, Marma, Tripura, and Mro. These groups are distinct from the majority Bengali population and have unique cultural and linguistic backgrounds, with some having ties to peoples in Myanmar.12

Since the mid-1970s, the Chittagong Hill Tracts have experienced ethnic tensions and conflict, largely due to the influx of Muslim Bengali settlers into an area traditionally inhabited by these indigenous peoples. Many of these groups follow Buddhism, though Hinduism and Christianity are also practiced. The region's geography consists of forested hills and cultivated valleys, with rice being a primary crop.13

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