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mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <tr> <td width="528" valign="top" style="width:5.5in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Arakan</span></b></span><span class="Normal1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span></span></b></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">a province of Myanmar (Burma) situated on the northern and western parts of that country, which has been exerting considerable influence, both political and cultural, on the south and southeastern parts of Bangladesh from early medieval times. The Arakan Yoma, a long mountain range, separates the rest of Myanmar from Arakan, which is bounded by the <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/B_0406.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">bay of bengal</span></a> </span>and the estuary of the river <span style="font-variant:small-caps">naf </span>on the Southwest. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The ancient name of Arakan is <i>Rakhainepray</i>. The word <i>Rakhaine</i> is said to have derived from the Sanskrit <i>Raksha</i> and the Pali <i>Yakkha</i>, signifying a monster or a demon. Before the diffusion of <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/B_0726.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">buddhism</span></a></span>, most Arakanese were nature worshippers. Currently Arakan has four administrative units such as Sandoway, Sittway, Mayu and Kyaukpyu. Akyab is the capital city and the principal port of Arakan. It is situated at the mouth of the Koladan. Before the British occupation of Arakan in 1826, it was a small fishing village. Other major towns and ports are Kyaktaw, Maungdow, Buthidaung and Sandoway.</span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/R_0254.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">rice</span></a></span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> is the staple food of the Arakanese. The population is estimated at about two millions, of whom Buddhists constitute the significant majority. The rest of the population consists of Muslims, Hindus, Christians and animists. The Muslim community, who are next to the Buddhists in number, consists of four groups: <i>Tambukias</i>,<i> Turko-pathans</i>,<i> Kamanchis</i> and <span style="font-variant:small-caps">rohingyas</span>. The <i>Tambukias</i> trace their history back to the eighth century when their ancestors from Arabia were allowed to settle in southern Arakan by the contemporary king Maha Taing Chandra (788-810). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The next group consisting of the Turks and Pathans are mostly found in the outskirts of Mrohaung, the last capital of Arakan. The Arakanese king Min Soa Muwn alias Narameikhla (1403-33) recaptured his domain with the help of their forebears who were in the army of Bengal. Like the Tambukias, they were also allowed to settle in Arakan by the king. The ancestors of the kamanchis came in the train of <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/S_0288.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">shah shuja</span></a></span>, the Governor of Bengal (1639-59), who took shelter in Arakan with his family after being overthrown by his brother <span style="font-variant: small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/A_0437.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"">aurangzeb</span></a></span>. Their descendants are to be found mostly in Ramree Island. The <i>Rohingyas</i> are mostly descendants of Muslims from <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/C_0234.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">chittagong</span></a></span>. Now they are mainly concentrated in migrating northern Arakan. Their migration in the past usually happened during the agricultural season when Arakan faced the problem of the shortage of agricultural labourers. </span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Because of her geographical proximity to the southeastern parts of Bengal, Arakan developed both political and cultural ties with the Bangalis. The political situation depended on the fluctuation of powers of the two neighbours. Taking advantage of the weakness of Sultan Barbak Shah of Bengal, Bosawpyu occupied Chittagong district in 1459. For a century it remained in the hands of the Arakanese until the Mughals expelled them in 1666. </span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The impact of Muslim culture on the life of the peoples of Arakan had profound effects on the subsequent course of Arakanese history. The kings of Arakan patronised the cultivation of <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/B_0154.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">bangla literature</span></a> </span>and consequently many talented poets from different regions of Bengal thronged to the Arakanese court. For example, Ashraf Khan held the post of war minister at the time of King Thadomentor (1645-52). Ashraf Khan was popularly known as ‘Uzir Laskar’. He was a powerful minister and for his services the king awarded him one sword of hounour and some elephants. <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/D_0087.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">daulat qazi</span></a> </span>(c 1600-1638) a medieval Bangla poet was appointed court poet of King Sri Sudharma, for whom he composed the poem<i> Satimayna O Lorchandrani. </i>It is a romantic narrative poem about the love between a feudal prince and a princess. He was able to complete only two-thirds of the poem before he died. The second great Bengali poet in the court of Arakan was <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/A_0192.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">alaol</span></a></span>. He completed the rest of the poem <i>Satimayna O Lorchandrani</i> in 1659. Besides, he wrote six books in all, of which, the most famous <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/P_0011.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">padmavati</span></a></span><i>, </i>is a translation of <i>Padmavat</i> of Hindi poet Malik Mohammasd Jayasi.</span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In Chittagong area the Arakanese built numerous mud forts in <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/T_0249.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">tripura</span></a></span> for defense. They also built wooden forts in Shitakunda and Swandip. These types of wooden forts were known as ‘Kaathgarh’. Arakanese mud forts were called ‘Kott’ or ‘Kotter Paar’. The word Kott is derived from Sanskrit word, ‘Kotta’, which means, the ‘Fort’. Head of the Kott was known as ‘Kottapal’ or the ‘protector of the fort’. Probably the Arakanese were pioneers in making mud forts in Bengal and later the Mughals used those forts for their defense. Numerous Arakanees Kotterpaar were built at Jahanpur, Hathazari, Kathirhat and Fateabad in Chittagong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span></span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">After the fall of Chittagong in 1666, the kingdom of Arakan was reduced to vassalage. Politically too, it became unstable. Between 1731-1784 thirteen kings ruled Arakan. The average rule of each king lasted not more than two years. In 1784, in the time of Bodawpaya (1782-1819), Arakan was annexed to the Kingdom of Burma, which in turn was made a part of the British dominion in 1826. From 1942 to 1945 it was temporarily put under the occupation of Japan. Burma got independence on 4 January 1948. </span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 2.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Immediately after Burma gained independence tension increased between the Arakanese Buddhists and the Muslim Rohingyas, resulting in the exodus of a large number of Rohingyas to <span style="font-variant:small-caps"><a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/C_0432.htm"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">cox’s bazar</span></a></span>. The Burmese government claimed that the Rohingyas were relatively recent migrants from the sub-continent. The Burmese constitution, therefore, did not include them among the indigenous groups qualifying for citizenship. In March 1978, due to widespread arrests and expulsions by the Burmese government, a large number of Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh. During 1991-1992, Bangladesh received an influx of approximately 250,000 Rohingyas from Burma. The exodus was triggered off by a complex combination of political, social and economic factors and serious violation of human rights. Thousands of Rohingyas again fled to Bangladesh in 1996 and 1997. Around 200,000 of them had eventually returned to Arakan. According to recent estimates, about 20,000 still remain in Bangladesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>[Sadat Ullah Khan]</span></span><span class="Normal1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> </td> <td colspan="3" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="500" style="width:375.0pt; mso-cellspacing:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <tr> <td valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">You are visitor no. <script language="JavaScript" src="/web/20131109014152js_/http://www.banglapedia.org/counter.php"> </script></span><br> <a href="/web/20131109014152/http://www.banglapedia.org/english/copyright.html"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Verdana">©Copyright Banglapedia 2012. 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