Bangladesh, Bandarban | March 10, 2026: According to a report published by The Daily Ghoshana on March 8, 2026 (2:04 PM), a religious program and iftar distribution ceremony was held in Lama, a sub-district of Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The event was organized by the Upajatiyo Muslim Kalyan Sangstha during the holy month of Ramadan.

 

The program was chaired by Major General Mahbubul Alam (Retd.), who serves as an adviser to the organization. The chief guest of the event was Professor Dr. Fazle Elahi, former Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) and Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology. The ceremony was also attended by Engineer Shahiduzzaman, former Member of Parliament from the Cox’s Bazar–Ramu–Eidgaon constituency, as a special guest.

 

Other speakers at the event included Professor Nurul Absar Chowdhury from the Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Muhammad Yousuf Ali, Managing Director of Eidgah Model Hospital, and Sharaban Tahura Tripura, Vice Chairman of Lama Upazila. Community representatives Kazi Tajul Islam, Azizur Rahman Sikdar, Didar Marma, and primary school teacher Rupna Chowdhury were also present.

 

During the event, iftar items were distributed among people described as newly converted Muslims. According to the report, several Indigenous individuals recited the Kalema and accepted Islam during the program. The conversion ceremony was led by Professor Dr. Fazle Elahi.

 

Among those reported to have accepted Islam were Mehjabin Tripura and Sadekul Islam Tripura.

 

The program also included marriage ceremonies. According to the report, the couples were Sabuman Tripura and Ashraful Islam, and Bishanti Tanchangya and Ashfiya Jannat. The event was hosted by Ratishin Islam Tripura.

 

While events like this are often described simply as religious programs, they sometimes raise deeper discussions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. For many people outside the region, such ceremonies may appear to be normal religious activities. However, among Indigenous communities in the hills, religious conversion can also lead to conversations about identity, culture, and the future of Indigenous nations.

 

For many Indigenous communities, religion has long been closely connected with cultural traditions, festivals, and community life. Language, customs, and ancestral beliefs have shaped the identity of hill communities for generations. Because of this strong connection, changes in religion are sometimes seen as influencing cultural identity over time.

 

Some Indigenous elders and community leaders worry that if cultural traditions become weaker, younger generations may slowly lose their connection to ancestral languages, customs, and history. These concerns are often linked to other challenges that Indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts already face, including land disputes, demographic change, and the struggle to protect cultural identity.

 

For many people in the hills, the discussion is not only about religion. It is also about how Indigenous communities can protect their identity while living in a society that is changing quickly.

 

The Chittagong Hill Tracts have long been home to many cultures and beliefs, with Indigenous traditions forming the historical foundation of the region. As social changes continue in the hills, many Indigenous people are quietly asking an important question: how can a people protect their cultural identity while also adapting to the changes around them?

 

That question continues to be part of the ongoing conversation across the Chittagong Hill Tracts.