Hakkonchandra village was situated to the east of Kaptai dam, in the Ran-gamati district of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). A family in that village who belonged to the Boro Hambe clan had a son who was an ivory craftsman and was later recognized and appreciated as one of the very first craftsmen among the Jumma population in the CHT region. His niece is the mother whose story is given here.
It is difficult to say exactly when she was born, but she thinks she is over eighty years old now. She is my grandmother and one of the eyewitnesses of the discussed episode in the history of CHT. Her family was relatively affluent. She had six siblings-three brothers and three sisters. Their family was well-respected in the neighborhood since their father was a schoolteacher. Sushama Chakma was not acquainted with paucity and poverty in the early years of her life. When the northern parts of CHT were submerged permanently due to Kaptai dam, not just the Chakma population but some Hajong, Marma and adi-Bangali residents who had lived for long among us also lost all their possessions. The wealthiest families became displaced people. They had to constantly move from one place to the other. About 50,000 Chakma, Hajong. and Tripuri people had to leave the country and migrate permanently.
Like many others, she lost a secure life and her homeland with her relatives. Her husband had to leave his public service to live like a refugee. Her only possessions were memories of better times and the determination to survive. While moving from one location to another for resettlement in the reserve forest, they spent countless sleepless nights thinking about their uncertain future. Despite the constant struggle to find happiness in pain, the sun never shone for her family.
হাক্কনচন্দ্র গ্রাম কাপ্তাই বাঁধের পূর্ব দিকে, চট্টগ্রামের রাঙামাটি জেলার পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম অঞ্চলে (CHT) অবস্থিত ছিল। সেই গ্রামের একটি পরিবার, যারা বোড়ো হাম্বে গোত্রের অন্তর্ভুক্ত ছিল, তাদের একটি ছেলে ছিল যিনি Ivory (হাতির দাঁতের) কারুশিল্পী ছিলেন এবং পরে পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম অঞ্চলের জুম্মা জনগোষ্ঠীর মধ্যে অন্যতম প্রথম কারিগর হিসেবে স্বীকৃতি ও প্রশংসা পেয়েছিলেন। তার ভগ্নিপতি (ভগ্নিপতি মানে তার ভাগ্নীর ছেলে বা কন্যা; এখানে ভগ্নিপতি মূলত ‘নাতনি’ বা ‘নাতি’) হচ্ছে সেই মায়ের, যার গল্প এখানে বলা হয়েছে।
নিশ্চয়ভাবে বলা কঠিন কখন তিনি জন্মেছিলেন, কিন্তু তিনি মনে করেন বর্তমানে তার বয়স আটোর ওপরে। তিনি আমার ঠাকুরমা এবং পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রামের ইতিহাসে আলোচিত ঘটনার এক প্রত্যক্ষদর্শী। তার পরিবার তুলনামূলকভাবে সম্পদশালী ছিল। তার ছয়টি ভাইবোন ছিল—তিন ভাই এবং তিন বোন। তাদের পরিবার প্রতিবেশে সম্মানিত ছিল কারণ তাদের পিতা একজন বিদ্যালয়ের শিক্ষক ছিলেন। সুশমা চাকমা তার জীবনের প্রাথমিক সময়ে অভাব ও দারিদ্র্যের সাথে পরিচিত ছিলেন না।
যখন পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রামের উত্তর অংশ স্থায়ীভাবে কাপ্তাই বাঁধে তলিয়ে গেল, তখন শুধু চাকমা জনগোষ্ঠী নয়, বরং কিছু হাজং, মারমা এবং আদিবাংলা বাসিন্দারাও যারা দীর্ঘদিন আমাদের মাঝে বসবাস করতেন, তারা তাদের সব সম্পদ হারিয়েছিলেন। সবচেয়ে ধনী পরিবারগুলোও বাস্তুচ্যুত হয়েছিল। তাদেরকে এক স্থানে স্থায়ীভাবে বসবাসের জন্য নয়, বরং এক জায়গা থেকে আরেক জায়গায় স্থানান্তরিত হতে হত। প্রায় ৫০,০০০ চাকমা, হাজং এবং ত্রিপুরী মানুষ দেশ ত্যাগ করে স্থায়ীভাবে অন্যত্র অভিবাসী হতে বাধ্য হয়েছিলেন।
অনেকে যেমন করেছেন, তিনি ও তার পরিবারও নিরাপদ জীবন এবং তাদের জন্মভূমি হারিয়েছিলেন। তার স্বামীকে শরণার্থী হিসাবে বসবাস করার জন্য তার সরকারি চাকরি ছাড়তে হয়েছিল। তাদের একমাত্র সম্পদ ছিল অতীতের ভালো সময়ের স্মৃতি এবং বাঁচার দৃঢ় সংকল্প। সংরক্ষণকৃত বনাঞ্চলে পুনর্বাসনের জন্য এক স্থান থেকে অন্য স্থানে চলাচল করার সময় তারা অসংখ্য অশুয়া রাত কাটিয়েছেন, অজানা ভবিষ্যৎ নিয়ে চিন্তা করে। যন্ত্রণা ভোগের মাঝেও সুখ খুঁজে পেতে ক্রমাগত সংগ্রামের পরও তাদের পরিবারের জন্য সূর্য কখনো উজ্জ্বল হয়নি।
Vocabulary Box: A Story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts
Words/Phrases | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
Situated (verb) | অবস্থিত | located, placed | displaced, moved |
Dam (noun) | বাঁধ | barrier, embankment | |
Clan (noun) | গোষ্ঠী | tribe, family group | |
Ivory craftsman (noun) | হাতির দাঁতের শিল্পী | carver of elephant tusks | |
Recognized (verb) | স্বীকৃত | acknowledged, celebrated | ignored, overlooked |
Appreciated (verb) | প্রশংসিত | valued, esteemed | disparaged, criticized |
Niece (noun) | ভাইঝি / বোনঝি | brother’s/sister’s daughter | aunt, uncle |
Eyewitnesses (noun) | প্রত্যক্ষদর্শী | observers, onlookers | hearsay, secondhand account |
Episode (noun) | ঘটনা | incident, event | |
Relatively (adverb) | অপেক্ষাকৃত | comparatively, somewhat | absolutely, completely |
Affluent (adjective) | সচ্ছল | wealthy, prosperous | poor, impoverished |
Siblings (noun) | ভাইবোন | brothers and sisters | only child |
Respected (adjective) | সম্মানিত | esteemed, honored | disrespected, despised |
Acquainted (verb) | পরিচিত | familiar, conversant | unfamiliar, unacquainted |
Paucity (noun) | স্বল্পতা | scarcity, lack | abundance, surplus |
Poverty (noun) | দারিদ্র্য | destitution, penury | wealth, affluence |
Submerged (verb) | নিমজ্জিত | flooded, inundated | surfaced, emerged |
Permanently (adverb) | স্থায়ীভাবে | forever, lastingly | temporarily, briefly |
Possessions (noun) | সম্পদ | belongings, assets | debts, liabilities |
Wealthiest (adjective) | ধনীতম | richest, most affluent | poorest, most destitute |
Displaced (adjective) | বাস্তুচ্যুত | uprooted, expelled | settled, resident |
Constantly (adverb) | নিরবচ্ছিন্নভাবে | continuously, perpetually | occasionally, seldom |
Migrate (verb) | স্থানান্তরিত হওয়া | relocate, move | remain, stay |
Secure (adjective) | নিরাপদ | safe, stable | insecure, precarious |
Homeland (noun) | মাতৃভূমি | native land, motherland | foreign land, exile |
Relatives (noun) | আত্মীয়স্বজন | family members, kin | strangers, outsiders |
Public service (noun) | সরকারি চাকরি | civil service, government job | private sector |
Refugee (noun) | শরণার্থী | displaced person, exile | citizen, native |
Determination (noun) | দৃঢ়সংকল্প | resolve, perseverance | indecision, apathy |
Survive (verb) | বেঁচে থাকা | endure, live | perish, succumb |
Resettlement (noun) | পুনর্বাসন | relocation, resetting | displacement, eviction |
Reserve forest (noun) | সংরক্ষিত বন | protected woodland, sanctuary | |
Countless (adjective) | অগণিত | innumerable, numerous | few, countable |
Sleepless (adjective) | নিদ্রাহীন | restless, wakeful | restful, sleepy |
Uncertain (adjective) | অনিশ্চিত | unsure, unpredictable | certain, sure |
Future (noun) | ভবিষ্যৎ | tomorrow, time to come | past, history |
Despite (preposition) | সত্ত্বেও | in spite of, regardless of | because of |
Struggle (noun) | সংগ্রাম | fight, battle | peace, surrender |
Happiness (noun) | সুখ | joy, contentment | sadness, misery |
Pain (noun) | ব্যথা | suffering, anguish | pleasure, comfort |
Region (noun) | অঞ্চল | area, territory | |
Population (noun) | জনসংখ্যা | inhabitants, people | |
Discussed (verb) | আলোচিত | talked about, mentioned | undisclosed, secret |
History (noun) | ইতিহাস | past, chronicle | present, future |
Neighborhood (noun) | প্রতিবেশী | locality, community | |
Schoolteacher (noun) | স্কুলশিক্ষক | educator, instructor | student, pupil |
Northern (adjective) | উত্তরাঞ্চলীয় | in the north | southern |
Parts (noun) | অংশ | areas, sections | whole, entirety |
Sun never shone (idiom) | কখনো সুখ আসেনি | never had good fortune, dark times | prosperous times, lucky streak |
Family (noun) | পরিবার | household, kin |
Here are 50 multiple choice questions (MCQs) based on the passage about Sushama Chakma and the impact of Kaptai Dam on the CHT community.
- Where was Hakkonchandra village situated?
A) West of Kaptai Dam
B) East of Kaptai Dam
C) South of Chittagong
D) North of Rangamati - In which district is Hakkonchandra village located?
A) Khagrachhari
B) Rangamati
C) Bandarban
D) Chittagong - To which clan did the family in Hakkonchandra belong?
A) Chakma
B) Boro Hambe
C) Marma
D) Tripuri - What was the profession of the son in the Boro Hambe family?
A) Teacher
B) Farmer
C) Ivory craftsman
D) Fisherman - Who is the niece mentioned in the passage?
A) The grandmother
B) The mother
C) Sushama Chakma
D) The daughter - How old does Sushama Chakma think she is?
A) About fifty
B) About sixty
C) Over eighty
D) Over ninety - How is Sushama Chakma related to the narrator?
A) Mother
B) Grandmother
C) Aunt
D) Sister - How many siblings did Sushama Chakma have?
A) Two
B) Four
C) Six
D) Eight - What was her father’s profession?
A) Government officer
B) Schoolteacher
C) Carpenter
D) Merchant - How was Sushama Chakma’s family perceived in the neighborhood?
A) Poor
B) Ordinary
C) Well-respected
D) Unknown - Was Sushama Chakma acquainted with poverty in early life?
A) Yes
B) No
C) Only later
D) Sometimes - What caused the northern parts of CHT to be submerged?
A) Heavy rainfall
B) Kaptai Dam
C) Floods
D) Landslides - Which communities lost their possessions due to Kaptai Dam?
A) Only Chakma
B) Chakma, Hajong, Marma, and adi-Bangali
C) Only Hajong and Tripuri
D) Only Marma - What happened to the wealthiest families?
A) They remained unaffected
B) They became displaced people
C) They moved abroad
D) They sold their land - Approximately how many people had to leave the country permanently?
A) 10,000
B) 25,000
C) 50,000
D) 75,000 - Which groups were affected by displacement?
A) Only Chakma
B) Chakma, Hajong, and Tripuri
C) Marma only
D) Bengali only - How did Sushama Chakma’s husband cope with displacement?
A) Continued his job
B) Became unemployed
C) Left public service to live as a refugee
D) Moved abroad - What were their only possessions after displacement?
A) Land and money
B) Memories of better times and determination to survive
C) Livestock
D) Jewelry - Where did they move for resettlement?
A) Urban cities
B) Reserve forest
C) Coastal areas
D) Neighboring countries - How did they spend their nights while resettling?
A) Sleeping peacefully
B) Counting stars
C) Sleepless, worrying about the future
D) Singing songs - What was the main struggle for Sushama Chakma’s family?
A) Finding food
B) Maintaining a secure life and home
C) Education
D) Employment - Did the sun shine for her family during displacement?
A) Yes
B) No
C) Occasionally
D) Sometimes - How many brothers did Sushama Chakma have?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four - How many sisters did she have?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four - How was the family’s early life described?
A) Poor and struggling
B) Affluent and secure
C) Ordinary
D) Difficult - What is difficult to determine about Sushama Chakma?
A) Her birthplace
B) Her exact age
C) Her siblings’ names
D) Her husband’s profession - What is the main theme of the passage?
A) Education
B) Displacement and struggle
C) Trade and commerce
D) Cultural festival - What natural resource caused the permanent submersion?
A) River erosion
B) Water from Kaptai Dam
C) Heavy rain
D) Storm - Which occupation was lost by Sushama’s husband due to displacement?
A) Farming
B) Public service
C) Craftsmanship
D) Trading - How is the story presented in terms of perspective?
A) Third-person narrator
B) Eyewitness account by granddaughter
C) News report
D) Fictional story - What did the family constantly move for?
A) Tourism
B) Trade
C) Resettlement
D) Education - Which tribe does Sushama Chakma belong to?
A) Marma
B) Chakma
C) Tripuri
D) Hajong - How was the early neighborhood environment?
A) Hostile
B) Peaceful and respectful
C) Crowded
D) Noisy - What is the significance of the ivory craftsman?
A) He was famous among Bangali
B) He was one of the first Jumma craftsmen
C) He was a teacher
D) He was a farmer - What emotion dominates the passage?
A) Joy
B) Struggle and sadness
C) Anger
D) Humor - How did Sushama Chakma survive post-displacement?
A) With government help only
B) With memories and determination
C) By moving abroad
D) By selling jewelry - How many people were affected in total?
A) Around 10,000
B) About 25,000
C) About 50,000
D) About 100,000 - Which part of CHT was submerged?
A) Southern parts
B) Northern parts
C) Western parts
D) Eastern parts - How is Sushama Chakma described in her later years?
A) Young and active
B) Elderly and eyewitness of history
C) Middle-aged
D) Child - Which groups had lived long among the Chakma?
A) Only Hajong
B) Hajong, Marma, and adi-Bangali
C) Only Marma
D) Only Tripuri - What caused the displacement of even wealthy families?
A) Government policy
B) Permanent submersion from Kaptai Dam
C) Floods
D) Landslides - How did the family feel about the uncertain future?
A) Relaxed
B) Anxious and sleepless
C) Hopeful
D) Indifferent - What did Sushama Chakma remember from the past?
A) Her schooling
B) Better times and security
C) Farming methods
D) Festivals - What is the key historical event mentioned?
A) Construction of roads
B) Submersion due to Kaptai Dam
C) Market establishment
D) School opening - How is the family’s movement described?
A) Frequent and stressful
B) Calm and organized
C) Leisurely
D) Vacation-like - Which profession is highlighted as lost?
A) Ivory craftsman
B) Teacher
C) Public service worker
D) Farmer - How many generations are referenced in the passage?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four - How did displacement affect her possessions?
A) They gained new land
B) They lost almost everything
C) They kept all possessions
D) They received government aid - What did the family rely on for survival?
A) Financial savings
B) Memories and determination
C) Livestock
D) External aid - What broader issue does the passage highlight?
A) Trade development
B) Cultural festivals
C) Displacement and human suffering
D) Agricultural innovation
Answers: 1. B, 2. B, 3. B, 4. C, 5. C, 6. C, 7. B, 8. C, 9. B, 10. C, 11. B, 12. B, 13. B, 14. B, 15. C, 16. B, 17. C, 18. B, 19. B, 20. C, 21. B, 22. B, 23. C, 24. C, 25. B, 26. B, 27. B, 28. B, 29. B, 30. B, 31. C, 32. B, 33. B, 34. B, 35. B, 36. B, 37. C, 38. B, 39. B, 40. B, 41. B, 42. B, 43. B, 44. B, 45. A, 46. C, 47. B, 48. B, 49. B, 50. C.
Here are 50 WH questions based on the passage about Sushama Chakma, her family, and the impact of Kaptai Dam on the CHT community:
- Where was Hakkonchandra village located?
- In which district is Hakkonchandra village situated?
- Which clan did the family belong to?
- Who in the family was an ivory craftsman?
- How was the ivory craftsman recognized later?
- Who is the niece mentioned in the passage?
- How old does Sushama Chakma think she is?
- How is Sushama Chakma related to the narrator?
- How many siblings did Sushama Chakma have?
- How many brothers did she have?
- How many sisters did she have?
- What was her father’s profession?
- How was her family respected in the neighborhood?
- Was Sushama acquainted with poverty in her early life?
- What event caused the northern parts of CHT to be submerged?
- Which communities lost their possessions due to Kaptai Dam?
- What happened to the wealthiest families in CHT?
- Approximately how many people had to leave the country permanently?
- Which groups were displaced from their homes?
- How did Sushama Chakma’s family feel after losing their homeland?
- What did her husband have to give up due to displacement?
- What were the family’s only possessions after displacement?
- Where did the family move for resettlement?
- How did the family spend their nights during relocation?
- What was their main concern while moving from one place to another?
- Did the sun shine for her family during their struggle?
- What was the early life of Sushama Chakma described as?
- How is her family’s social status described?
- How many generations are referenced in the passage?
- Which tribe does Sushama Chakma belong to?
- How is the ivory craftsman significant in the Jumma community?
- What is difficult to determine about Sushama Chakma’s life?
- How did the Kaptai Dam affect the Chakma population?
- Which other communities besides Chakma were affected?
- How did displacement affect even wealthy families?
- What challenges did Sushama’s family face while resettling?
- How did the family cope with uncertainty about the future?
- How many siblings did Sushama have in total?
- What emotions dominate the narrative of the passage?
- What did Sushama rely on for survival after displacement?
- How was her early neighborhood environment described?
- What is highlighted as the main historical event in the passage?
- How was the family’s movement during resettlement described?
- Which occupation was specifically lost by Sushama’s husband?
- How did displacement impact Sushama’s memories of the past?
- How did the passage describe the broader effect of Kaptai Dam on the CHT region?
- How is the family’s social respect connected to the father’s profession?
- What role did determination play in the family’s survival?
- How did Sushama Chakma witness the events in CHT history?
- What does the story reveal about the human cost of large infrastructural projects like Kaptai Dam?
Answers:
- Hakkonchandra village was located to the east of Kaptai Dam. It was in the Rangamati district of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
- Hakkonchandra village is situated in the Rangamati district. This area is part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.
- The family belonged to the Boro Hambe clan. This clan was known in the local community.
- The son in the family was an ivory craftsman. He was skilled in making traditional ivory artifacts.
- He was later recognized as one of the first craftsmen among the Jumma population. His work gained appreciation and fame in the CHT region.
- The niece mentioned in the passage is Sushama Chakma. She is the grandmother of the narrator.
- Sushama Chakma thinks she is over eighty years old. She is not certain about her exact age.
- Sushama Chakma is the grandmother of the narrator. She is also an eyewitness of the historical events described.
- Sushama Chakma had six siblings. They included three brothers and three sisters.
- She had three brothers. They were part of her well-respected family.
- She had three sisters. They grew up together in a relatively affluent household.
- Her father was a schoolteacher. His profession earned the family respect in the neighborhood.
- Her family was well-respected in the community. Their status was due to their father’s profession and wealth.
- Sushama Chakma was not acquainted with poverty in her early life. She enjoyed a secure and affluent childhood.
- The northern parts of CHT were submerged due to the construction of Kaptai Dam. This event caused permanent displacement.
- The Chakma, Hajong, Marma, and adi-Bangali communities lost their possessions. Many families were uprooted from their ancestral lands.
- Even the wealthiest families became displaced. They had to leave their homes and possessions behind.
- Approximately 50,000 people had to leave permanently. These included Chakma, Hajong, and Tripuri communities.
- The displaced groups included Chakma, Hajong, and Tripuri people. They were forced to migrate due to flooding.
- Sushama Chakma’s family felt the loss of a secure life and homeland. They experienced uncertainty and hardship.
- Her husband had to leave his public service job. He became a refugee due to displacement.
- Their only possessions were memories of better times. They also had determination to survive.
- The family moved to a reserve forest for resettlement. They had to constantly relocate from one place to another.
- They spent many sleepless nights worrying about their uncertain future. Moving frequently caused stress and anxiety.
- Their main concern was survival and establishing a secure life. They struggled to adapt to displacement.
- The sun never shone for her family metaphorically. Their lives were filled with hardship and uncertainty.
- Sushama Chakma’s early life was described as affluent and secure. She grew up without experiencing poverty.
- Her family was socially well-respected. This was due to her father’s position as a schoolteacher.
- Two generations are referenced in the passage. These include Sushama and her children or relatives.
- Sushama Chakma belongs to the Chakma tribe. This is one of the major indigenous groups in CHT.
- The ivory craftsman was significant as one of the first Jumma artisans. His skills gained regional recognition.
- It is difficult to determine Sushama Chakma’s exact age. She only estimates that she is over eighty.
- Kaptai Dam caused the permanent submersion of northern CHT areas. This led to mass displacement of communities.
- Besides the Chakma, the Hajong, Marma, and adi-Bangali communities were affected. They lost homes and possessions.
- Displacement affected even wealthy families. They became refugees and lost their possessions.
- Sushama’s family faced constant struggle for survival. They had to move frequently and live in uncertainty.
- The family coped with the uncertain future by relying on memories and determination. They endured sleepless nights and hardship.
- Sushama had six siblings in total. This included three brothers and three sisters.
- The passage conveys emotions of struggle, loss, and hardship. It highlights the human cost of displacement.
- Sushama relied on memories of better times and determination to survive. These helped her endure difficult circumstances.
- Her early neighborhood was peaceful and respectful. Her family was well-regarded in the community.
- The main historical event highlighted is the construction of Kaptai Dam. It caused permanent flooding and displacement.
- The family’s movement during resettlement was frequent and stressful. They had to adapt to new locations repeatedly.
- The occupation lost by Sushama’s husband was public service work. He had to live as a refugee instead.
- Displacement impacted her memories by contrasting past affluence with current struggle. She remembered better times fondly.
- The passage describes the broader effect of Kaptai Dam as causing mass displacement. Thousands of families lost homes and livelihoods.
- The family’s respect in society was linked to the father’s profession as a schoolteacher. It provided social status before displacement.
- Determination played a key role in the family’s survival. It helped them cope with hardship and uncertainty.
- Sushama Chakma witnessed the events as an eyewitness. Her perspective provides a personal account of CHT history.
- The story reveals the human cost of large infrastructure projects like Kaptai Dam. It highlights loss, displacement, and enduring struggle.