In
Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari of the Chittagong Hill Tracts there is
still a king system. For hundreds of years, the people of the Chittagong Hill
Tracts have been following the orders of the three kings. But the kings do not
have much power now. They have no choice but to issue permanent resident
certificates, collect taxes, and do some social justice. But the three kings
have a long history.
Although they call
themselves kings in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, according to the law, their
real position is 'Circle Chief'. The term was created during the British rule
in accordance with the Chittagong Hilltracks Regulation 1900 Act or the
Chittagong Hilltracks Manual. Being a remote hilly area, they divided the
Chittagong Hill Tracts into three circles or areas for the purpose of
collecting rent and suppressing the Chakma rebellion.
In 1860, the British
government divided the Chittagong Hill Tracts into three circles, Chakma, Bomang
and Mong. Bomang Circle is located in Bandarban, Chakma Circle in Rangamati and
Mong Circle in Khagrachari. From then on the circle system was introduced.
According to the rules of the Chakma and Mong circles, the eldest son of the
royal family was anointed as the king in the lineage, but in the Bomang circle
of Bandarban, the eldest member of the dynasty became the king. Barrister
Debashish Roy is currently serving as the Chakma Raja in Rangamati, KS Pru is
serving as the Raja of Bandarban Bomang Circle and Saching Pru Chowdhury is
serving as the Mong Raja in Khagrachari. It is learned that Debashish Roy was
arrested on November 25, 1987 in Rangamati
It is learned that Debashish Roy officially took over as the king on
November 25, 1977 in Rangamati. He is the 51st king of the Chakma circle. After
the death of 16 Bomang Raja KS Pru, his successor Uch Pru was appointed as
Bomang Raja by the government on 24 April 2013. He has been in charge since
then. Prior to that, he served as a Civil Engineer in various organizations.
Saching Pru, the current king of the Mong Circle in Khagrachari. When
Raja Paiha Pru Chowdhury died in a road accident last year, Saching Pru was
appointed king. He is the 9th king of the Mong circle. Meanwhile, there are 178
mouzas in Chakma circle, 97 in Bomang circle and 100 in Mong circle. The
headmen act as the head of each mouza. In each neighborhood there is a trader
as the king's representative. The king appoints headmen and merchants. And the
headman and the traders collect taxes including maintaining law and order in
the area. Meanwhile, every year during the winter, three kings organize
Rajpunyah. At this time the tenants paid rent for their land. A royal ceremony
was organized on the occasion. However, in Rangamati and Khagrachari there is
not much circulation of Rajpunyah. But in Bandarban Rajpunyah is held at a
certain time every year. And 42 per cent of the rent collected in Rajpunya is
deposited in the king's treasury, 37 per cent in the headman and 21 per cent in
the government treasury. The kings were very powerful during the British rule.
The rights of the kings have been curtailed at different times since the time
of Pakistan. Since independence, their power has been declining. Meanwhile, the
kings still get only 5 thousand rupees. And Headman 500 and Karbari 300 rupees.
There is anger among the king, headman and traders about this. Bomang Raja
said, "Even if we are kings, we do not get any benefits."
The king of Marma (Chief of
the Bomang Circle and Mong Circle):
The custom of being king of Bomang; Other dynasties have the policy of anointing a prince. But not the
prince in the Bomang dynasty, the oldest member of the dynasty inherits the
throne of the Bomang dynasty. The tradition of having the oldest member Rajapada
from the sixth Bomang king was introduced.
The custom of being king of Mong; The Mong Circle is the name of the traditional government body in the
administrative district of Khagrachari in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Headed by the Mong Chief, or Raja, the Mong
Circle is responsible for the operation of customary law within the 88 Mouza
areas, and for the management of land and natural resources such as forests and
water sources. These vital functions
are delivered through an extensive network of 88 Headman and 950 Karbari, with
one Headmen governing a Mouza of up to 40 villages. The Karbari are local community leaders who
resolve disputes, coordinate development projects and act as a link between village
governance and the various formal agencies of the CHT.
Rajpunyah; The festival of collecting
rent from the Jum farmers of Bomang Circle has been celebrated since 185. The
festival is usually held in December or January every year. Leads in various
matters of social justice and tradition in their respective areas. Moreover,
after collecting rent from the zoom farmers, they keep their share and deposit
the rest in the government's revenue fund. The name of this rent collection
ceremony is Rajpunyah.
Although the Chakma Circle of Rangamati and the
Rajpunyah Joulus of the Mong Circle of Khagrachari lost over time, it is still
celebrated with great pomp in the Bomang Circle of Bandarban. On the occasion
of Rajpunyah, a folk fair was organized at the local Rajbari ground. Thousands
of hill-Bengali citizens from far and wide of the district attended the
festival. Will make. The fair usually lasts for 3 days at Rajpunyah and the
surrounding areas including the king's field. Apart from shops and stalls,
various sports and events including Jatra songs, Bichitra programs, circus,
puppet dances, house games and death wells have been organized at the fair. At
present, the festival has become one of the leading brands in the cultural
identity and tourism of Bandarban.
At a recent conference, the
three kings demanded a bodyguard and a car for the kings. Meanwhile, although
the king did not have much power, the royal tradition and the old history of
the kings still attract the tourists who come to visit the Chittagong Hill
Tracts. So everyone who comes to visit from home and abroad, even if it is at a
glance, see the palace. If possible, meet with the king.
The Bohmong
Circle:
Raja Maung Saw Pru (also spelt Mong Saw Pru) was a son of King Nanda
Bayin (Nanda Bayin, was king of Toungoo Dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1581 to
1599) and grandson of Bayinnaung (Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta was king of the
Toungoo Dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1550 to 1581). He was the 1st Governor
of the Bohmong Circle (modern-day Bandarban District) from 1599 to 1631
appointed by Arakan king Min Razagyi during the Toungoo dynasty.
Maung Saw Pru is the first ruler of Bohmong Htaung (Circle) who was the
son of King Nanda Bayin of Pegu and grandson of Bayinnaung.
In 1599, Min Razagyi (Min Razagyi was king of Arakan from 1593 to
1612.), the King of Arakan led to the capitulation of Hanshawaddy Kingdom (The
Hanthawaddy Kingdom was the Mon kingdom that ruled lower Burma (Myanmar) from
1287 to 1539 and from 1550 to 1552). Nanda Bayin, the King of Pegu was defeated
and perished in the war. Daughter of Nanda Bayin, Princess Thien Daw Hnang and
minor Prince Maung Saw Prue were taken into Mrauk U Kingdom, the capital of
Arakan, as captive along with other booties. Some 3000 families from Pegu
followed the scion of their ruler and settled in Arakan.
The Arakanese King Min Razagyi appointed a Prince of Pegu Maung Saw Pru
as the governor of newly established Bohmong Htaung (Circle) by giving the
title of "Bohmong" Raja in 1599. Son of the Min Razagyi, King
Khamaung (Min Khamaung; was a king of Arakan from 1612 to 1622) of Mrauk U
married the Princess Thien Daw Hnang and appointed his brother-in-law Prince
Maung Saw Pru as Governor of Chittagong in 1614.
In 1614, King Khamaung, the king of Arakan, appointed Maung
Saw Pru as Governor of Chittagong. In 1620, who repulsed the Portuguese invasion with extreme courage and
valor, King Khamaung conferred the title "Bohmong" (means the Great
General) to Maung Saw Pru. As a consequence,
the Arakanese king Khamaung awarded
Maung Saw Pru the title of Bohmong meaning "Great
General".
Once Bohmong Htaung was ruled by Bohmong Rajas who were
the subordinates to the Arakanese kings. Ancestors of the
present Bohmong dynasty were the successor of the Pegu King of Burma under the
Arakan's rule in Chittagong. After the death
of Maung Saw Pru two successors retained the Bohmong title. During the time of
Bohmong Hari Gneo in 1710, the Arakanese King Sanda
Wizaya (Candavijaya) recaptured Chittagong
from the Mughals. Bohmong Hari Gneo helped King Sanda Vijaya in recapturing
Chittagong and as a mark of gratitude the latter conferred on Bohmong Hari Gneo
the grand title of Bohmong Gree which means "great
Commander-in-Chief".
Bohmong Htaung is Now Bandarban District, Chittagong Division, and South-Eastern
Bangladesh. Bandarban Hill District was once called Bohmong Htaung since the
Arakanese rule.
A son of King Nanda Bayin (son of Bayinnaung) was placed in charge of an
area around Chittagong by the King of Arakan in 1599 (after the successful
Arakanese attack on Pegu). He was Maung Saw Pru and reigned until 1631. Ever
since, his descendants have ruled over what's become known as the "Bohmong
Circle", home to over 200,000 people of Arakanese, Burmese, and Mon
ancestry in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, now in Bangladesh.
The dynesty of Bomang Circle:
1. Mong Saw Pru
Bomang (1614-1630 AD)
2. Mong Grai Bomang
(1630-1665 AD)
3. Hery Prue Bomang
(1665-1687 AD)
4. Hery Nyo Bomangri
(1687-1727 AD)
5. Kong Hla Prue
Bomangri (1727-1811 AD)
6. Shak Thai Prue
Bomangri (1811-1840 AD)
7. Kong Hla Nyo
Bomangri (1840-1866 AD)
8. Mong Prue Bomangri
(1866-1875 AD)
9. Sha Nhong Nyo
Bomangri (1875-1901 AD)
10. Cha Hla Prue
Bomangri (1901-1916 AD)
11. Mong Sa Nyo
Bomangri (1916-1923 AD)
12. Kya Jai Prue
Bomangri (1923-1933 AD)
13. Kya Jaw Shain
Bomangri (1933-1959 AD)
14. Mong Sowe Prue
Bomangri (1959-1996 AD)
15. Aung Showi Prue
Chowdhury Bomangri (1998- 8 August 2012 AD)
16. Kya Sain Prue
Chowdhury Bomangri (18 September 2012- 6 February 2013)
17. U Cha Prue Chowdhury Bomangri (24 April 2013- Continue)
The Bohmong chieftains claim
descent from Tabinshwehti and Nanda Bayin of the Toungoo Empire. 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.The circles were codified into law with the Chittagong Hill Tract
Regulations, 1900, eased revenue collection and administrative burdens on
British authorities by delegating tax collection, land administration
management and social arbitration responsibilities to the chieftains. In 1901,
the Bohmong Circle extended 2,064 square miles (5,350 km2). 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. The Marma inhabitants
in the Bohmong Circle are known as ragraisa (Khyong-Sa).
The Mong Circle:
The Mong Circle is one of three hereditary
chiefdoms (or "circles") in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of modern-day
Bangladesh. The jurisdiction of the Mong Circle encompasses parts of
Khagrachhari District. The chiefdom's members are of Marma descent and are known
as phalansa. Most inhabitants of the Mong Circle settled in the northwest
during a migration wave from the Kingdom of Mrauk U (modern-day Arakan State in
Myanmar) between the 16th and 18th centuries.
The Kingdom of Mrauk-U was an independent coastal
kingdom of Arakan which existed for over 350 years. It was based in the city of
Mrauk-U, near the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal. The kingdom from 1429 to
1785 ruled over what is now Rakhine State, Myanmar and Chittagong Division,
Bangladesh. From 1429 to 1531 it was a protectorate of the Bengal Sultanate at
different time periods. After gaining independence from Bengal, it prospered
with help from the Portuguese settlement in Chittagong. In 1666, it lost
control of Chittagong after a war with the Mughal Empire. Its reign continued
until the 18th century, when it fell to the invasion of the Burmese Empire.
The Mong Circle dates to
1782 with the first chieftain, Mrachai. During British rule, the British
authorities designated the Mong Circle in 1871, to encompass an ethnically
mixed population in the Feni valley. In 1881, the Chittagong Hill Tracts were
administratively divided into three circles, namely the Chakma Circle, the
Bohmong Circle, and the Mong Circles, each presided over by a hereditary chief from
the Chakma and Marma peoples. The circles were codified into law with the
Chittagong Hill Tract Regulations, 1900, eased revenue collection and
administrative burdens on British authorities by delegating tax collection,
land administration management and social arbitration responsibilities to the
chieftains. In 1901, the Mong Circle extended 653 square miles (1,690 km2).
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.
The Dynasty of Mong circle:
The Mong Dynasty can be traced through British
records from the 17th Centery. The first Chief of the Mong was Raja
Kong Joy, who ruled in the 17th century. In 1826, the Prince Kyo Jo
Sin became the second Raja at the age of 6. The third Raja succeeded the
throne in 1870 and continued his rule until 1879 July 1883, after
the death of Raja Nirobhodhi his younger brother the Prince Keeojaprue Sin
became the 4th king of the Mong Circle. On his death his niece Ni-u-mah was
installed at the throne as the 5th Raja of the Mong Circle. A ruler from the
age of 13, she remains the only woman to have led the Mong Dynasty, indeed the
only woman Raja to have ruled any Circle in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
In 1922 her son Mong Prue Sin, became the
sixth Raja of Mong circle and continued his reign till 1984. Raja Mong
Prue Sin joined the Freedom Fighters of Bangladesh in 1971, and was awarded the
highest honour as a “BIR” by the government. His service to the nation
was widely recognised, on his death Government and the Bangladeshi police
honoured him.
In 1984, Raja Paihala Prue Chowdhury, son of
former Raja Ni-u-mah Sin’s cousin was appointed as 7th Mong Raja.
Raja Paihala Prue was known as a kind and fair Leader, who commanded the
respect of Headmen, Karbari and residents. Under his leadership, the Mong
Circle started the process of modernization, providing training to the Headmen
on their duties and successfully managing the build of 5 new Multi Purpose
Community Centres. In 2008, he died tragically in an accident on his
return journey from a study tour hosted by the Australian Government.
Raja Saching Prue Chowdhury was confirmed as
8th Mong Raja and continues his rule today. The young Raja aims to
create a Mong Circle that serves and represents all residents of the
Khagrachari area.
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