Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs

With the theme, "Unity in Diversity", a four-day cultural festival featuring minor ethnic groups from different parts of the country, was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka on 2-5 December.

Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility (CHTDF), UNDP and Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs jointly organised the event aimed at promoting and raising awareness on the culture of ethnic groups across the country.

 

Deputy Leader of Bangladesh Parliament and Convenor of the CHT Peace Accord Implementation Committee Begum Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury inaugurated the festival as chief guest.

The celebration included a display of talents of the ethnic people across the country. The festival showcased a wide range of cultural activities and a fair offering handicrafts, jewelry, paintings, ethnic foods and everyday items that are an inseparable part of the Indigenous lifestyle.

CHTDF, UNDP supported weavers groups also participated to demonstrate the Chakma, Bawm and Tripura communities` traditional weaving techniques.

The exhibition featured 113 stalls by ethnic communities from both plain land and the Hill Tracts, drew a huge crowd. Chakma, Marma, Bawm, Tanchangya, Khyang, Mro, Lushai, Rakhain, Tripura, Garo, Santal and other ethnic communities were there to represent their traditional culture in the festival.

Around 250-300 performers from 23 different ethnic groups including Bengalis performed in the cultural show.

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