Buddhism is the second largest religion in the Indian State of Mizoram. It is followed by 8.51% of its population. There are 93411 Buddhists in Mizoram. [1] Most of the Buddhists in Mizoram are Chakmas [2] Most of them live in the autonomous region called Chakma Autonomous District Council and follows Theravada branch of Buddhism. [3]
The Chakma Buddhists tribe has been in the state for centuries. In 1960s many Chakmas from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh migrated to the Mizoram and other neighbouring Indian states after their lands were submerged by the filling of Kaptai dam. Some also migrated to Mizoram to escape from religious persecution in Bangladesh. In 1972, when Mizoram became a State, the Centre government granted the Chakmas tribes autonomy by creating Chakma Autonomous District Council. [4]
In 2001 Census, Buddhism constituted 7.93% of the State's population. [5] It increased slightly to 8.51% in the 2011 Census. [1]
About 91.7% or 88,885 Chakmas follows Buddhism. [6]
| District [7] | Percent |
|---|---|
| Aizawl | 0.39% |
| Lawngtlai | 43.72% |
| Saiha | 0.18% |
| Serchhip | 0.09% |
| Mamit | 14.27% |
| Champhai | 0.12% |
| Lunglei | 17.06% |
| Kolasib | 0.13% |
The Chittagong Hill Tracts, often shortened to simply the Hill Tracts and abbreviated to CHT, are a group of districts within the Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar (Burma) in the east. Covering 13,295 square kilometres (5,133 sq mi), they formed a single district until 1984, when they were divided into three districts: Khagrachhari, Rangamati, and Bandarban.
Mizoram is a landlocked state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its capital and largest city. It shares 722-kilometre (449 mi) of international borders with Bangladesh to the west, and Myanmar to the east and south, with domestic borders with the Indian states of Assam, Manipur, and Tripura. It covers an area of 21,087 square kilometres which 91% of the area is covered by forests, making it the most heavily forested state in India. With an estimated population of 1.25 million in 2023, it is the second least populated state in India. With an urbanisation rate of 51.5% it is the most urbanised state in northeast India, ranking fifth in urbanisation nationwide. One of the two official languages and most widely spoken tongue is Mizo, which serves as a lingua franca among various ethnic communities who speak a variety of other Tibeto-Burman or Indo-Aryan languages. Mizoram is home to the highest percentage of scheduled tribes in India, with the Mizo people forming the majority.
The Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh has a total population of roughly 1.4 million on an area of 84,000 km2, amounting to a population density of about 17 pop./km2. The "indigenous groups" account for about two thirds of population, while immigrants, mostly of Bengali/Hindi belt origin, account for the remaining third.
The Chakma people or Changhma people, are an ethnic group from the eastern-most regions of the Indian subcontinent and Western Myanmar. They are the second largest ethnic group of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of southeastern Bangladesh, and the largest in the Chakma Autonomous District Council of Mizoram, India. Significant Chakma populations are found in the northeast Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Assam.
The Marma are the second-largest ethnic community in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts, primarily residing in the Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati Hill Districts. They belong to the same community as the Rakhine people. Marmas along with Barua Maghs and Jumias make up the wider Magh community. There are three endogamous groups within Magh Community which are known as i) The Thongtha, Thongcha, Jumia Mags, ii) The Marma, Mayamma, Roang or Rakhaing Magh, iii) The Maramagri, otherwise called Barua Magh. They belong to the second sub tribe or group within the Magh Community.
Buddhism is the third-largest religious affiliation and formed about 0.63% of the population of Bangladesh. It is said that Buddha once in his life came to this region of East Bengal to spread his teachings and he was successful in converting the local people to Buddhism, specially in the Chittagong division and later on Pala empire propagate and patronized Buddhist religion throughout the Bengal territory. About 1 million people in Bangladesh adhere to the Theravada school of Buddhism. Over 65% of the Buddhist population is concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, where it is the predominant faith of the Rakhine, Chakma, Marma, Tanchangya, other Jumma people and the Barua. The remaining 35% are Bengali Buddhists. Buddhist communities are present in the urban centers of Bangladesh, particularly Chittagong and Dhaka.
Bandarban is a district in South-Eastern Bangladesh, and a part of the Chittagong Division. It is one of the three hill districts of Bangladesh and a part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the others being Rangamati District and Khagrachhari District. Bandarban district (4,479 km2) is not only the most remote district of the country, but also the least populous. There is an army contingent at Bandarban Cantonment.
Khagrachari is a district in the Chittagong Division of Southeastern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.
Sri Lanka is officially a Buddhist country, while Sri Lankans practice a variety of religions. As of the 2012 census, 70.2% of Sri Lankans were Buddhists, 12.6% were Hindus, 9.7% were Muslims, 7.4% were Christians. Buddhism is declared as the State religion of Sri Lanka and has been given special privileges in the Sri Lankan constitution such as the government is bound for protection and fostering of Buddhist Dharma throughout the nation. However, the constitution also provides for freedom of religion and right to equality among all its citizens. In 2008 Sri Lanka was the third most religious country in the world according to a Gallup poll, with 99% of Sri Lankans saying religion is an important part of their daily life.
Ethnic minorities of Bangladesh or loosely termed minority people of Bangladesh are ethnic minorities in Chittagong Hill Tracts (southeastern), Sylhet Division (northeastern), Rajshahi Division (west), and Mymensingh Division (north-central) areas of the country. They are assumed as ethnic group and the tribal races, total population of ethnic minorities in Bangladesh was estimated to be over 2 million in 2010. They are diverse ethnic communities including Tibeto-Burman, Austric and Dravidian people.
Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture and the Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions, namely, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, which are collectively known as native Indian religions or Dharmic religions and represent approx. 83% of the total population of India.
The United Nations categorizes Bangladesh as a moderate democratic Muslim country. Sunni Islam is the largest religion in the country and in all of its districts, except Rangamati. The Constitution of Bangladesh refers to Islam twice: the document begins with the Islamic phrase Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem and article (2A), added later, declares that: "Islam is the state religion of the republic".
Myanmar (Burma) is a Buddhist majority country with a significant minority of Christians and other groups residing in the country.
The Chakma Autonomous District Council is an autonomous council under the Republic of India. It is located in the Northeast Indian state of Mizoram, of which it covers about 3.25% area of the state. It is a landlocked region sharing international borders with Myanmar to the south and Bangladesh to the west, domestic border with Lai Autonomous District Council to the east and Lunglei district to the North. At the 2011 Census, the population was 62,094.Its headquarters is at Kamalanagar. The Chakma people has been demanding to change the status of the Chakma Autonomous District Council into a Union territory under the name Chakmaland.
The Tanchangya people, Tanchangyas or Tonchongyas are an Chinwin valley origin ethnic group living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh, Indian states of Tripura and Mizoram, and Rakhine state of Myanmar.
Bangladeshis are the citizens and nationals of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centred on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay.
Christianity is the largest religion in Mizoram. The majority 87% of Mizoram population are Christian in various denominations, predominantly Presbyterian. More than 98% of the Mizos are Christians by faith. The Government of Mizoram declared that Christianity plays a very important role among the daily life of Mizo community and therefore further declared that Christianity as the religion of the state. The culture of Mizoram is mainly influenced by Christianity. Hence, Christianity was given a special status on the state by the government while maintaining a minimum level of secular environment and approach. In June 2018, the government of Mizoram including Vanlalruata, president of anti-corruption organisation-turned-political party, People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram claim that Mizoram is a Christian state. Hindus form a small minority (3.55%) mainly of Manipuris and there are also around (7.93%) Buddhists according to the 2001 census, mostly made up from Chakma settlers of Arakan origin. There are about 8,000 mostly ethnic Mizo followers of a Judaic group Bnei Menashe, who claim descent from the biblical Menasseh. Muslims make up about 1.1% of the state population.
Bengali Buddhists are a religious subgroup of the Bengalis who adhere to or practice the religion of Buddhism. Bengali Buddhist people mainly live in Bangladesh and Indian states West Bengal and Tripura.
Kamalanagar is a township in Lawngtlai district in the state of Mizoram in India.
The Chakma District(Chakma: 𑄌𑄋𑄴𑄟𑄳𑄦 𑄝𑄟𑄴,'Canghma Bamh' ) is an landlocked autonomous district of India, located in the south-west part of the state of Mizoram. The Chakma District lies bordered to the north by Lunglei District, to the east by Lai District, and shares international boundaries to the south with Chin State in Myanmar, and to the west with the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. The administrative headquarters of the Chakma district is in Kamalanagar. Covering an area of 686.25 km2, the Chakma district makes up about 3.25% of the total area of Mizoram. According to the 2011 Census of India, the district is home to a population of 62,094.