Marma's Cultural Heritage on the Way to Extinction as a

Result of Climate Change and Modernization in Bandarban

District, Bangladesh
Khabir Uddin*

Abstract
Marma is the second largest indigenous community in Chittagong Hill Tracks in Bangladesh.
They have enriched history, culture, heritage and their own way of life. They have had it from
generation to generation. This study investigates how climate change and modernity are
endangering Marma’s cultural heritage. It also makes a list of endangered cultural heritage and
finds out their traditional rule in Marma's society. Cultural heritage instructs us about certain
historical periods, as well as about technical knowledge, architectural engineering, design,
environment, social structure, economy and craftsmanship. These are the most common
endangered cultural heritage in Marma’s society: Machang, Chera, Rifungjang, Muijang and
Neichang. This study intends to raise new questions on the effect of climate change and
modernization in Marma’s cultural heritage. The results of the study are obtained by using a
qualitative method. In addition to firsthand observation, interviews, case study, FGD and surveys
are conducted. The climate change and the contact with modern civilization occurs a significant
change in Marma’s society. The existence of Marma’s cultural heritage is threatened by changes
in their way of life due to climate change and modernization. The researchers who had come to
the Indian subcontinent since the beginning of the British period had been looking at the
Chittagong Hill Tracks. According to Joydeb Garai, the goal is to identify the primary markers of
indigenous people’s cultural responses to extreme climate change adaptation. Madeline
Brennan's study aims to demonstrate how Bangladesh is affected by climate change as a risk
multiplier. Marma's popular rituals have been examined in an essay by Jyotiswi Chakma. In this
study, it has tried to raise a new and urgent research question on Marma’s endangered cultural
heritage. Additionally, it aims to illustrate how the indigenous people experience a crisis as a
result of losing their cultural heritage.

Keywords
Marma, Cultural heritage, Climate change, Modernity, Chittagong Hill Tracks, Endangered.

*Khabir Uddin
PG student, Department of Bangla in Jagannath University, Dhaka. Doing research on history
and culture of ethnic group, climate migration, heritage, folklore and regional culture. Published
two research articles and presented a paper named `As Partition is Depicted In Bangla Folk
Song: An Auditory Brief Discussion’ in a three day multilingual international seminar on
`Partition of 1947: Reflections on Society and Literature’ November 2023 organized by Banaras
Hindu University, India. Published a book named `Guhar Bhetor Hater Chap’ on history of
humankind. Has a great passion with research and writing.

Phone (Whatsapp): +8801568073716

Email: lanchubangla.jnu@gmail.com

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