Who Are the Settlers in Chittagong Hill Tracts?

The term “settlers in Chittagong Hill Tracts” is often used, but many people do not fully understand what it means. For many readers, the word “settlers” in the context of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) can feel confusing.

The word is often used, but rarely explained clearly.

To understand it, we need to look at history, movement of people, and how the region changed over time.

In Short

• “Settlers” refers to people relocated to the Chittagong Hill Tracts mainly during the 1970s–1980s
• The movement was partly organized through state-supported programs
• These changes affected land use, demographics, and identity
• Today, both Indigenous and settler communities live in the region

Where Is the Chittagong Hill Tracts?

The Chittagong Hill Tracts is a region in southeastern Bangladesh, near the borders of India and Myanmar.

👉 It is divided into three districts: Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban.

It is known for:

• Hills and forests
• Rural villages
• Cultural diversity

For centuries, this region has been home to Indigenous communities often known as the Jumma people.

Who Are the Settlers?

In simple terms, settlers are people who moved into the Chittagong Hill Tracts from other parts of Bangladesh, mainly from the plains.

Most of them are Bengali families.

They are called “settlers” because:

👉 They were not originally from the hills
👉 They moved and established new communities there

The term is used to describe historical movement, not personal identity.

When Did This Movement Happen?

While small movements happened earlier, large-scale settlement became more visible during the late 1970s and 1980s.

During this period:

• Families were relocated from other regions
• Settlement programs were introduced
• New villages were created in the hills

This led to a major demographic change in the region.

Some historical records suggest that this process was not entirely informal.

For example, an administrative memo from 1980 issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner in the Chittagong Hill Tracts outlines a structured plan for the settlement of landless non-tribal families in the region.

The memo describes:

• selection of families
• issuance of identity cards
• transportation to reception centers
• financial support and food provisions

👉 Historians and researchers have discussed similar programs in multiple studies, although interpretations may differ.

👉 This document represents one administrative record; a full understanding requires looking at multiple sources and perspectives.

It also uses the term “settlers” in an official administrative context.

This suggests that settlement during that period was, at least in part, organized through formal processes.

What Changed After Settlement?

Before this period:

👉 The hills were largely Indigenous-majority areas

After settlement:

👉 The population became more mixed
👉 Land use patterns changed
👉 Social dynamics became more complex

This created a situation where people with different histories and backgrounds lived in the same region.

Why Is the Term “Settler” Used?

The word “settler” helps distinguish between:

• Indigenous communities who have lived in the region for generations
• Later arrivals who moved and settled in the area

It is a descriptive term used in discussions about history, land, and identity.

Is the Situation Simple?

No.

It is important to understand that:

👉 Not all settlers share the same experience
👉 Not all Indigenous communities share the same views

Over time:

• Settler families have built lives in the hills
• Indigenous communities continue to maintain their connection to land and identity

Both realities exist at the same time.

Why Is This Topic Often Discussed?

The term “settler” is often used in discussions about:

• Land ownership
• Cultural identity
• Historical changes in the region

Because these issues are sensitive, the word can carry different meanings depending on who is using it.

A Human Reality Behind the Term

Behind the term “settler” are human lives.

Families moved, often in search of opportunity or stability, and built their homes in a new environment.

At the same time, Indigenous communities experienced changes that affected their traditional relationship with land, culture, and identity.

This is why the issue is not simply about definitions.

👉 It is about how different histories meet in one place.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

Understanding who the settlers are is not about labeling people.

👉 It is about understanding how the region changed over time

It helps explain:

• Why identity matters in the hills
• Why land is a sensitive issue
• Why the region is often discussed in terms of history and policy

The Bigger Picture

The Chittagong Hill Tracts is not defined by one group alone.

It is a region shaped by:

• Indigenous history
• migration
• policy decisions
• human lives

To understand the present, we must understand how these layers came together.

Because in the hills, the story is not only about who lives there now—

👉 It is also about how they came to be there.

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