Chakma Circle Explained

The Chakma Circle (Chakma:), also known as the Chakma Raj, is one of three hereditary chiefdoms (or "Circles") in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of modern-day Bangladesh.^[1] The Chakma Circle encompasses parts of Rangamati Hill District and Dighinala and Rajasthali Upazilas in neighbouring Khagrachari District and Bandarban District respectively. The chiefdom's members are of 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.^[2]

The incumbent chieftain is Devasish Roy (b. 10 April 1959), according to the Chakma Bijok, a compilation of the Chakma history (1876-1934 CE). The Chakma chieftain also sits on the Advisory Council for the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs and the Rangamati Hill District Council.^[3] The Chakma chieftain leads a rajpunyah festival.^[4]

History

Pre-colonial era

The lineage of Chakma chieftains may date to the 11th century or mid-16th century.^[5] Chakma folklore and tradition ascribe the Chakma origins to the warrior castes of Bhagalpur in modern-day India.^[6] The legendary raja Bijoy Giri (c. 1630), who is believed to have migrated the ancestors of the Chakma people north of the Naf River.^[7] Through intermarriages with the Rakhine people, the Chakmas eventually converted to Buddhism. 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) in exchange for tributary payments.^[8]

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 Circles, each presided over by a hereditary chief from the Chakma and Marma peoples.^[9] 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.^[10] In 1901, the Bohmong Circle extended 2421mi2.^[11] 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.^[12]

List of Rajas

!No.!Potrait!Name !Reign!Life Details

1		Sudhanyei
2		Moru Dev
3		Champa Kali
4		Langal Dhan
5		Kshudrajeet
6		Samudrajeet
7		Shyamal
8		Champak Kali
9		Shandya Sur
10		Chandra Shug
11		Sadheng Giri
12		Dharma Shug
13		Sudhanyei-II
14		Champasura
15		Bimbasura
16		Shengbuddha
17		Udaya Giri
18		Bijoygiri
19		Srittoma Shak
20		Sarannama
21		Ulatnama
22		Jamu
23		Kamala Janu
24		Unacha Giri
25		Moichsyagiri
26		Kamala Juga
27		Madana Juga
28		Jeewana Juga
29		Rahtnaagiri
30		Dhanagiri
31		Swarnagiri
32		Buddhtang Giri
33		Dharmagiri	1075s A.D.
34		Manorahta
35		Areejiet
36		Moimangsha
37		Kewala
38		Boirindham
39		Gyananu
40		Sweithawrator Chotungxa
41		Shakalia
42		Wangali Sherdhar
43		Manyiggiri
44		Madhalia
45		Ramathongxa
46		Kamala Chege
47		Ratana Giri
48		Hala Thongxa
49		Chakraw Dhaon
50		Phela Dhaveng
51		Shermatte Dhaveng	1300 A.D
52		Yongza	1330s CE
53		Surzyojeet	14th Century CE
54		Satrujeet	Early 15th Century CE
55		Ramtongza	Mid-15th Century CE
56		Manikgiri	Late 15th Century CE
57		Toin Sureshwari	Early 16th Century CE
58		Jonu	1516 A.D(Throned)
59		Sattwa	Late 16th Century CE
60		Kattwa Rani	Early 17th Century CE
61		Davana	Mid- 17th Century CE
62		Dharmmaya	1661 A.D(Throned)
63		Mogollya	Late 17th Century CE
64		Jubal Khan or Subhal Khan	Late 17th Century CE
64		Jallal Khan	1715(died)
66		Fateh Khan	Mid-18th Century CE
67		Serjjan Khan	Mid-18th Century CE
68		Shermust Khan	1730s
69		Raja Shukdev Roy	Mid-18th Century CE
70		Sher Daulat Khan	1776 — 1782
71		Janbask Khan	1782 — 1789
72		Tabbar Khan	1801 — 1811
73		Jabbar Khan	1811 — 1814
74		Dharam Bux Khan	1814 — 1832
75		Rani Kalindi	1832 — 1873
76		Raja Harish Chandra Rai Bahadur	1873 — 1885
77		Court of Wards(Nilo Chandra Dewan & Trilawchana Dewan)	1885 — 1897
78		Raja Bhuban Mohan Roy	7 May 1897— 17 September 1933
79		Raja Nalinakshya Roy	7 March 1935— 7 October 1951
80		Raja Tridev Roy	2 March 1953 — 1971
81		Samit Roy	1971 - 1977
82		Raja Devashis Roy Wangza	25 December 1977 —present

See also

• Chakma people
• Marma people
• Bohmong Circle
• Mong Circle

Notes and References

1. Book: Agrarian change in tropical landscapes . Deakin . Liz . Kshatriya . Mrigesh . Sunderland . Terry . 2016 . CIFOR . 194 . 9786023870226 . en.
2. Ahmed . Kawser . 2010 . Defining 'Indigenous' in Bangladesh: International Law in Domestic Context . International Journal on Minority and Group Rights . 17 . 1 . 47–73 . 24675834 . 10.1163/157181110X12595859744169.
3. Web site: Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord . 1997-12-02 . 2018-09-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181121094208/https://peaceaccords.nd.edu/sites/default/files/accords/Chittagong_Hill_Tracts_Peace_Accord.pdf . 2018-11-21 . dead .
4. News: Rajpunnah in Bandarban today . 2009-02-04 . The Daily Star . 2018-09-19.
5. Dowlah . Caf . October 2013 . Jumma insurgency in Chittagong Hills Tracts: how serious is the threat to Bangladesh's national integration and what can be done? . Small Wars & Insurgencies . 24 . 5 . 773–794 . 10.1080/09592318.2013.866419 . 144593890 . 0959-2318.
6. Serajuddin . A. M. . Buller . John . 1984 . The Chakma Tribe of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the 18th Century . Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland . 116 . 1 . 90–98 . 10.1017/S0035869X00166146 . 25211628. 161939360 .
7. Book: Hutchinson, Robert Henry Sneyd . An Account of the Chittagong Hill Tracts . 1906 . Bengal Secretariat Book Depot . xvii . en.
8. Jhala . Angma D. . January 2013 . Daughters of the Hills: legacies of colonialism, nationalism and religious communalism in the Chakma Raj family, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bengal c. 1900–1972 . South Asian History and Culture . 4 . 1 . 107–125 . 10.1080/19472498.2012.750460 . 145139430 . 1947-2498.
9. Kundu . Debasish . Samadder . Mrinmoy . Khan . Ashrafuzzaman . Shajahan Naomi . Sharin . January 2011 . State of Justice in Chittagong Hill Tracts: Exploring the Formal and Informal Justice Institutions of Indigenous Communities . BRAC.
10. News: Bandarban wears festive look as Rajpunyah starts . 2010-01-15 . The Daily Star . 2018-09-19.
11. Book: Hutchinson, Robert Henry Sneyd . An Account of the Chittagong Hill Tracts . 1906 . Bengal Secretariat Book Depot . 122 . en.
12. Zaman . M. Q. . 16 January 1982 . Crisis in Chittagong Hill Tracts: Ethnicity and Integration . Economic and Political Weekly . 17 . 3 . 75–80 . 4370578.