IMPHAL | Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has assured support for the preservation of the heritage, language and traditions of the Manipuri community in Bangladesh and said he plans to visit the country to interact with the diaspora.

A 23-member delegation of the Manipuri Youth Cultural Organisation (MYCO), Bangladesh, met Singh at the Manipur Secretariat on Friday to discuss issues concerning the community and ways to strengthen cultural ties. The delegation comprised 19 men and four women and represented a Manipuri community estimated at between 20,000 and 50,000 people in Bangladesh.

The delegation also invited the chief minister to visit Manipuri settlements in the country. “I assured them that I would visit Bangladesh to meet and interact with our Manipuri brethren there,” Singh said in a post on his official Facebook page after the meeting.

The community has a history in present-day Bangladesh spanning more than two centuries, with migration taking place in several phases during the 18th and 19th centuries. One major phase occurred between 1764 and 1789, when groups left Manipur during the reign of King Ching-Thang Khomba amid political upheavals in the region.

A larger movement took place between 1819 and 1826 during the Seven Years’ Devastation, when Burmese forces invaded Manipur. Members of the royal family and others sought refuge in the British-ruled Surma Valley, leading to the establishment of Manipuri settlements there.

Another significant migration followed the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 and the subsequent British annexation of Manipur. Over the years, Manipuri settlements in Dhaka, Mymensingh and Brahmanbaria have declined amid assimilation. The community, however, continues to have a strong presence in Bangladesh’s Sylhet division, particularly in Maulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamganj.

The Manipuri community is known for its agricultural practices and rich cultural traditions, including the traditional Manipuri Rasa dance. The meeting between the chief minister and the Bangladesh-based delegation comes amid efforts to maintain cultural links between Manipuri communities across the international border.