The Reality of Practicing Performing Arts among Ethnic Communities Living in Chittagong Hill Tracts Area: Post 1997 Peace Accord Context

Abstract

Although a relatively small country, Bangladesh is inhabited by almost fifty different ethnic groups having their own cultural identities. The current paper focuses on the reality of practicing performing arts among ethnic communities living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) area - a hub of different ethnicities in Bangladesh. Prior to the peace accord of 1997, the area was almost unexplored by researchers due to the conflicting relations between the government and the rebels. Moreover, inter-ethnic conflicts seemed also a problem for people living there. Consequently, having a snap regarding their cultures was out of scope. Nevertheless, the said CHT Peace Accord brought a light of hope for harmonious cohabitation and an opportunity for researchers to explore local performing arts as well as barriers to practices aimed at keeping traditional values. It is found that the peace accord has clearly emphasized the significance of retaining the traditional cultural values of ethnic communities addressing their utmost expectation. Nevertheless, there is a debate about whether the terms and conditions featured in the peace accord are properly implemented or not. The current study aims at feeling this lacuna.