Bonaz

The Bonaz people (Odia: ବୋନାଜ, romanized: Bonaj) are an Odia diaspora community that live in Srimangal, Bangladesh and Tripura, India.

Bonaz

Total population
4,400
Regions with significant populations
Srimangal (Bangladesh) - 4,000 Tripura, India - 400
Languages
Odia
Religion
Hinduism (majority), Christianity (minority)
Related ethnic groups
Indo-Aryan peoples, Odia diaspora

In the nineteenth century, the British brought them over from Odisha to work as tea garden labourers in Srimangal. They are Hindus and maintain a distinct identity in addition to their Bangladeshi identity, due to cultural, linguistic, geographical and historical reasons. Many have adopted the Bengali language;^[1] although only 10% of the community are actually literate in the language. They celebrate Phagwah and Durga Puja, and have managed to preserve some of their ballads and folk-tales orally as well as through performing cultural festivals. They are led by a leader known as a Behera and split into eight clans: Nag, Khanda, Tanidiya, Dudhusha, Rakta Kushila, Suryabamsa, Baghabamsa and Mahanandiya.^[1]

See also

• History of Sylhet