Indigenous Rights in Bangladesh: Constitutional Promises and Social Realities

Abstract

This paper examines the discrepancy between constitutional frameworks and the lived realities of marginalized ethnic communities in Bangladesh. It argues that the state’s “terminological avoidance” specifically the refusal to recognize “Indigenous” status fosters systemic exclusion from development and participatory democracy while delegitimizing ancestral land claims. By prioritizing state-defined classifications over substantive rights, the current governance framework sidelines these populations from essential socio-economic entitlements. Marginalization is especially acute in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, where the failure to integrate customary law into the national legal landscape exacerbates social tensions and overlooks traditional knowledge systems. Ultimately, the study necessitates a re-evaluation of development paradigms to better align with the relational and spiritual land-based realities of these communities.