Kamalanagar, 14 January 2016: Dangu Kali Kumar Tongchangya, Chief Executive Member, Chakma Autonomous District Council has arrived yesterday from his visit to the Chakmas of Myanmar. He was invited to grace the celebration of the Chakma National Day on 7th January 2016 as its Chief Guest organized at Randaw of Arakan State of Myanmar. The Day is celebrated by the Chakmas of Myanmar every year. It was for the first time, ever any Chakmas of India was invited to the celebration of the Day.

Dangu Tongchnagya was given a very warm welcome. He was received at the Sittwe airport and Cultural programme was organized on 6th January 2016.

Dangu Kali Kumar Tongchangya came back very happy to have met the Chakma brethrens of Myanmar and for having set the tone for revival of relationship and contact that was lost for centuries. A new saga of cultural exchange and coordination will be witnessed in the days to come, he said. He termed the experience as phoenix-like. He said it shall be made a point every year to be part of the Chakma National Day Celebration. The next Chakma National Day will be celebrated at Bodhitong of Arakan State.

The CEM, CADC assured the Chakmas of Myanmar to make arrangement for learning of the art of weaving of Chakma traditional dress. The Chakmas in Myanmar through lapse of centuries have adopted the dresses worn by the Burmese. It was also assured that training will be given on learning of Chakma script.

There are about 80 thousand Chakmas who live in the Arakan state of Myanmar. Burmese history has it that the Chakmas once upon a time settled in the Koladyne Valley and there from moved towards the south to the present day of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Today, the Chakmas live in the northeast Indian states of Mizoram, Tripura, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh besides in CHT of Bangladesh and Arakan state of Myanmar.