Cha Sramiker Sangskritik Jibon

Cha Sramiker Sangskritik Jibon is a monograph and directory on culture, cultural groups and languages in the tea gardens of Bangladesh. A common identity of those we see working in the beautiful tea gardens in Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Hobiganj, Chattogram and Rangamati districts is they are tea workers. Around 95 percent of the tea workers and their families who have been living in the labour lines in the tea gardens for five generation are Hindus and non-Bangalee. Most stunning of these tea workers are their ethnic identities. In its recent research Society for Environment and Human Development has identified around 80 smaller ethnic communities in the tea gardens. It is needless to say that with so many ethnic identities their languages and cultural diversity are stunning as well.

     SEHD has been working with the tea workers and their communities for nearly two decades. It has completed numerous research, publications and productions on the tea communities. In its work SEHD has always given special attention to  languages and culture of the tea communities. SEHD got an opportunity to carry out a primary research on the cultural groups in the tea gardens from January 2020 under an initiative, ‘Diversity of Peace’ of the United Nations Development Programme.

     A key chapter of this book is languages spoken in the tea gardens, culture and society. Dr. Masudul Haque and Dr. Ashok Biswas have worked in this area with SEHD. There are 13 languages spoken in the tea garden areas including Bangla, Monipuri and Khasi. Sadly enough, many communities in the tea gardens are losing their languages. Mixing of languages is also remarkable in the tea gardens. So-called ‘Jangli’ is a prime example of mixing languages. The researchers have given special attention on the significance of protection of languages in the tea gardens. Their research-paper published in this book marks only the beginning of research on language, culture and society in the tea gardens.

     Brief discussion in the beginning of this book on tea workers, their communities and the tea industry helps understand the background of life and culture of the tea communities.

     In field research SEHD has found 32 cultural groups in the tea gardens of Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts. The life of the tea workers is indeed tied to the tea gardens and labour lines. However, regular cultural practice among themselves keep them connected and strengthen their communication.  A key chapter of this book compiles the addresses of the cultural teams, names of all artists, their occupations, educational qualifications and their role in their respective groups.

     Publications on languages spoken in the tea gardens and culture are few. An annotated bibliography on these publications has been compiled in the last chapter of the book. Those interested in languages and culture in the tea gardens will find this publication useful.