Table Of ContentProf. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
THE
ROHINGYAS
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR
HISTORY AND CULTURE
BY
DR. ABDUL KARIM
ARAKAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
THE ROHINGYAS
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR
HISTORY AND CULTURE
ABDUL KARIM
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JUNE 2000.
Published by:
Secretary,
Research and Publication Department
ARKAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
No. 1102, Eneses Chamber, Nur Ahmed Road,
Chittagong, Bangladesh
All rights reserved by the author
© Arakan Historical Society
Cover: The map of Arakan with some Muslims
Coins of Mrauk-U period.
Cover Designed by: Md. Farid Uddin
Printer: Sonali Art Press
51, Ghatforhadbeg, Anderkilla,
Chittagong, Bangladesh
Price : Tk. 150.00
US$. 5.00
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
DEDICATED TO
THE ROHINGYA PEOPLE OF ARAKAN
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
PUBLISHER’S NOTES
The Rohingya Muslims of
Arakan played a glorious role in
the establishment and
consolidation of the great
Arakanese Empire known as
Maruk-U Empire.
Unfortunately for us this part of
history has been subjected to
utter negligence. As a result,
the glorious chapter of the
history of the Rohingya Muslims of Arakan has uptill now
remains unwritten.
The author of the following pages, Dr. Abdul Karim, is
a great scholar and reputed historian of this Sub-
Continent in his own right. The present work “ THE
ROHINGYAS : A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR HISTORY AND CULTURE
” is the result of his strenuous research work dedicated to
the cause of unearthing that glorious chapter of Rohingya
national history. In this work of historic importance, he not
only gave a complete account of the coming or growth of
Muslims in Arakan along with its socio-political and
cultural background but also the impact that it created on
the subsequent
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
history of the Rohingya nation. Since this is the first book
written in English by a reknown historian of the Sub-
Continent, Arakan Historical Society, Bangladesh
considers it an honour to publish this book and present it
to the readers and researchers of Rohingya and Arakan,
both at home and abroad.
We are thankful to Allah Almity for enabling us to
bring out this wonderful work of national importance on
behalf of the Arakan Historical Society, Chittagong,
Bangladesh.
Mohamed Ashraf Alam
Secretary
Research and Publication Department
ARAKAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH
Chittagong
01-6-2000
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
Preface
The Rohingya problem has
of late become a matter of
great concern to the
government and the people
of Bangladesh. Several Lakh
of uprooted Rohingyas, men,
women and children, came
out of their homeland
Arakan and took shelter in
Bangladesh. This happened
not once but twice, in 1978-
79 and 1991-92; the
problem is not yet over; the
reverse movement, i.e. the
repatriation of the Rohingyas had started already, but is not yet
complete. Such a big number of refugees have given rise to
many problems in Bangladesh-problem of food, shelter,
sanitation and law and order. This is a man-made problem,
created by the government of Burma (now called Myanmar);
their deliberate policy to denationalise the Rohingyas and their
oppression over and suppression of the Rohingyas, compelled
the latter to leave the country and take shelter across the river
Naf in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh are not in a
position to bear this
great responsibility of given food and shelter to such a big
number of refugees. The international community, the United
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
Nations High Commissioners for Refugees (UNHCR) have
come to the aid of the refugees and Bangladesh government
and to force the government of Myanmar to take back their
people.
Who are the Rohingyas and why is this problem? There are
about 18 lakh Rohingya Muslims in Arakan, a little less than
half of the total population. By the new Citizenship Act of the
ruling military junta in Myanmar, the Rohingya Muslims are
denied of their rights, right to own property, and right of
franchise. Even their basic human rights, i.e. right to live with
dignity and honour has been taken away. The Rohingyas have
been facing inhuman torture, in so much as they had to leave
their hearth and home leaving all their properties. But how
could such a huge number of people suddenly enter into
Arakan, so that the government of Burma (Myanmar) could
claim that they are not nationals of Burma? In the following
pages we have sought to examine these and such other
questions, in our study, we have found that the Rohingyas have
got a history, they are descendants of those who have been
settling there in Arakan from a thousand years before. The
Rohingyas have got a language, a culture and a heritage, and
above all the 18 lakh Rohingyas from a homogeneous group.
This is eyesore to the ruling junta of Myanmar and this is the
reason why they have been trying to expel the Rohingyas, men,
women and children. Ours is just a preliminary study; it is felt
that more intensive investigations have to be undertaken to get
a total picture of the whole issue.
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Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim’s The Rohingyas : History and Culture
The first Muslim settlers in Arakan were the Arabs; they were
the shipwrecked people coming to the east for purpose of
trade. So after the introductory chapter, we have discussed the
different phases of the entry of the Muslims into Arakan. In our study
we have seen that initially the Muslims did not enter into Arakan in
their own interest, rather they were invited by the rulers of Arakan. In
fact one of the outset king of Arakan Naramikhla (Min Sawmun) was
restored to his throne by the Muslim arms of Bengal. He and his
successors invited the Muslims to exploit their economic resources
because their own people could not do it or did not know to do it. The
economic development of Arakan and also of Myanmar has come to
its present position due to the toil and labour of the foreigners, Kala
as the call them. The key to development of Arakan is due to the
Rohingyas, who are known being expelled by the Myanmar ruling
junta. Even when Arakan was occupied by the king Bodawpaya of
Burma, one third of the total population of Arakan were Muslims.
If I have been able to explain the Rohingya problem in its true
perspective, and if the readers get a correct picture, I shall feel
myself amply rewarded. While discussing the Rohingya culture and
about Muslim ministers and Muslim poets flourishing in Arakan, I
have quoted Medieval Bengali poems profusely. It may be
mentioned that rendering the Bengali poems into English is quite a
tough job, particularly translating the medieval Bengali poem. So at
places I have made a free translation. But I hope, the real purport of
the poets have not been distorted. Mr. Shamim Zubair, Professor of
Islamic History and Culture, Ranguniya Degree College, and Mr.
Ashraf Alam, former General Secretary, Arakan Historical Society,
Chittagong encouraged me to write this essay. I am grateful to them.
Abdul Karim
Chittagong
05-07-1997
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Description:The Rohingya problem has of late become a matter of great concern to the government and the people of Bangladesh. Several Lakh of uprooted Rohingyas, men, women and children, came out of their homeland. Arakan and took shelter in. Bangladesh. This happened not once but twice, in 1978-.
