Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh promised to visit Bangladesh to connect with the local Manipuri community. He made the pledge after meeting a 23-member delegation from the Manipuri Youth Cultural Organisation on Friday at the Secretariat in Imphal. The group included 19 men and four women. They discussed ways to protect the heritage, language, and traditions of the 20,000 to 50,000 Manipuris living across the border.
Singh confirmed the trip on social media. "I assured them that I would visit Bangladesh to meet and interact with our Manipuri brethren there," he stated. The diaspora has a history in the region dating back over two centuries.
Migration happened in three distinct waves. The first occurred between 1764 and 1789 during the rule of King Ching-Thang Khomba due to political turmoil. A second wave followed from 1819 to 1826 during the Seven Years Devastation when Burmese invaders forced royals to flee to the British-controlled Surma Valley. A final surge followed the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri War and the subsequent British annexation.
Settlements in Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Brahmanbaria have largely faded due to assimilation. The population remains anchored in the Sylhet division, specifically Maulvibazar, Habiganj, and Sunamganj. These communities maintain their identity through agriculture and the traditional Manipuri Rasa dance.
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