Published: 12:45 AM, 18 May 2026
The Myth of Forced Migration from CHT
Dr. Mohammad Asaduzzaman
In recent years, a story has emerged from the rough, lush folds of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), a place sometimes shrouded in the mists of geopolitical mystery. It tells the story of “silent relocation” – the mass forced movement of Bangladesh’s non-Muslim ethnic groups to neighboring India and Myanmar.
But a data-driven, deep-dive analysis of the region’s demographic resilience, historical kinship structures, and security realities points to a very different conclusion. What is often characterized as a crisis of displacement is, in fact, a manifestation of ancient, trans-border ethnic fluidities and the localized ripples of a security challenge. Not a state-sponsored campaign of exclusion but a strategic navigation of ancestral lands that predate modern national boundaries.
The cold, hard facts of Bangladesh’s 2022 Population and Housing Census, with its trends continuing in 2026, most strongly refute the tale of mass migration. If there were a systemic “cleansing” taking place, the demographic footprint of the CHT would drop drastically. Instead, the data suggest that ethnic enclaves are stable and even growing.
In districts like Bandarban and Rangamati, the figures of the major ethnic groups such as the Chakma and Marma have been remarkably stable, reflecting patterns of historical development. The Chakma community of Rangamati (42.6% of the total population) shows slow growth from 2020 to 2026. Marma community has high retention rate and presence of 17.5% in Bandarban. The Tripura and Chakma communities comprise 32.1% of the population of Khagrachari and have also remained stable in the last six years.
The total population of the CHT also stands unchanged at around 1.84 million in 2026. The percentage of Buddhists (41.7%) and Christians (3.26%) in the region has not plummeted; rather, it has mirrored national demographic trends. If "thousands" were permanently fleeing, as alleged, these numbers would have hollowed out. The statistical reality is that for every family that relocates, dozens more are putting down roots, bolstered by the state’s multi-billion-taka investments in highland infrastructure and the Inclusive and Resilient Urban Water Supply Project.
A "Homecoming" Across Borders
In order to comprehend the CHT, one must realize that the boundaries between Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar were imposed on an old, borderless landscape very recently. The concept of “Zomia” refers to the highland area where ethnic identity is not restricted by the Westphalian state. The CHT is not an island but is a part of a continuous cultural landscape which extends into the Chin and Rakhine States of Myanmar and Mizoram in India.
Ethnic groups like the Bawm, Mro, or Marma, Pangkhua, and Lushai share deep linguistic, religious (largely Protestant Christian), and ancestral ties with the Mizo people of India and the Chin people of Myanmar. When a family from Bandarban moves toward Mizoram, they are often not "refugees" in the conventional sense. They are moving to stay with extended kin, attending family weddings, or pursuing seasonal agricultural opportunities in a culturally identical environment.
The UNHCR’s report from March 2026 paints a bleak picture: there are more than 1.6 million refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar escaping a brutal civil war and junta airstrikes, but the number of people moving from the CHT into India is statistically insignificant—estimated at less than 2,500 people. They are often cases of "circular migration" - temporary moves driven by family networks rather than state-sponsored persecution.
The KCNF Factor
Much of the recent international concern has focused on operations against the Kuki-Chin National Front (KCNF) and its armed wing, the Kuki-Chin National Army (KCNA). Since its emergence the KCNF has called for an autonomous state and has been associated with a few high-profile bank robberies and skirmishes which have called for a security response.
But the nature of this conflict is often misunderstood. In 2024 and 2025, the Bangladeshi army took targeted actions against insurgent bases rather than the general public. Conflict results in localized displacement. Families tactically withdraw temporarily so as not to get caught in the crossfire between insurgents and the government. This is not an example of ethnic displacement but a common feature of counter-insurgency world-wide.
Also, the implementation of the 1997 CHT Peace Accord is a major goal. Bangladesh reiterated the full implementation of 65 out of 72 articles of the Accord in April 2026 at the UN and stated that efforts were still on to resolve property disputes and the appointment of special assistants from ethnic communities to top government positions.
CHT vs. Myanmar War Zone
A recurring, and logically inconsistent, claim is that ethnic minorities feel "safer in Myanmar." In 2026, Myanmar’s Rakhine and Chin States are among the most volatile combat zones in Southeast Asia. The latest (May 08, 2026) ‘Burma Travel Advisory’ by US Department of State says, “Do not travel to Burma for any reason due to armed conflict, unrest, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, poor health infrastructure, landmines and unexploded ordnance, and crime.”
With frequent airstrikes by the military junta and fierce fighting between the Arakan Army and state forces, it is statistically and practically improbable that thousands would choose an active war zone over the stable and developing infrastructure of the CHT.
At the moment, the CHT is seeing significant investment in "resilient urban infrastructure." Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded initiatives, such the Chattogram Hill Tracts Inclusive and Resilient Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project, are actively enhancing the standard of living in Rangamati and Bandarban. Such persistent investment is not usually seen in the home cities of a "fleeing" population.
A History of Mobility
The “silent relocation” narrative often ignores the human dimension – the deeply personal stories of people whose lives have always straddled multiple nations. They are not victims of a state campaign. They are the custodians of a borderless heritage.
Framing the CHT as a site of mass exodus is to ignore the census data, the multi-billion-taka infrastructure projects, and the centuries-old kinship ties that make the region unique. The CHT is a vital, diverse and integral part of Bangladesh. It is here that the challenges of modern governance and security are met with commitment to the 1997 Peace Accord. Crossings across its borders are an affirmation of the continuing, fluid identity of the highland people — a story of ancestry, not atrocity.
Dr. Mohammad Asaduzzaman
is Director General of
International Mother
Language Institute, Dhaka.
