Meitei language in Bangladesh
The Meitei language, or Manipuri language, is a minority language in Bangladesh. It is spoken by around 15,000 ethnic Manipuris, mainly concentrated in the Sylhet Division. The Meitei language is also a second language for [Bisnupriya Manipuri people|Manipuri people|Bishnupriyas] in Bangladesh.
Due to a shrinking population, many Manipuris in Sylhet do not speak the Meitei language fluently, as they make more use of the majority Bengali language, and may speak with a Bangladeshi accent.
Associations and organizations including the Manipuri Language Research and Development Organisation, Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad, and the Manipur Cultural Complex work for the development of the Manipuri language, literature, and culture in Bangladesh.
Intelligibility with Indian Meitei
Regarding the similarities and differences between the Bangladeshi Meitei language and Indian Meitei language, Ethnologue says the following:Geographical distribution
The population of Meitei speakers are found in four districts, namely Sylhet District, Moulvibazar District, Sunamganj District and Habiganj District of the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. In early times, there were Meitei speaking population in Dhaka, Mymensingh and Comilla also.Sylhet district
There are thirteen villages in Sylhet District, which are Amborkhana, Nayabazar, Shibgonj, Goaipara, Kewapara, Sagordighirpar, Baghbari, Laladighipar, Lamabazar, Doxingach, Rajbari, Brojonath Tila and Noyabazar among others.Mouluvibazar district
Moulvibazar District has twenty-eight Meitei populated settlements, which are Photiguli, Goalbari, Naldhari, Boroiloli, Ramnagar, Khaspur, Balishira, Gouranagar, Puthadhor, Chotodhamai, Patharia, Gourangabil, Madhobpur, Chaiciri, Homerjan, Majhergaon, Shangaon, Haqtiarkhola, Shripiire, Bhandarigaon, Chitlia, Noyapattan, Ganganagar, Bhanubil, Katabil Tateygaon, Mongolpur, Konagoan, among others.Habiganj district
Habigonj District had four Meitei settlement areas, which are Gaborkhula, Abadgaon, Shibnagar and Dudhpatil.Sunamganj district
Sunamgonj District has three Meitei populated settlements, which are Nayanpur, Lakhat and Ratanpur.Meitei language festival
The Manipuri language festival,, is an annual cultural event that aims to the protect and develop the Meitei language, Meitei writing system, and Meitei culture in Bangladesh. The event has been conducted by the Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad since 2008.Manipuri Language Day
Manipuri language day, is celebrated on 20 August, both Bangladesh and India,. In 2022, it was organised by the Manipuri Language Research and Development Organisation, Bangladesh at Manipuri Kangshang, Nayapatand in Bhanugharh in Moulvibazar District, attended by the Indian delegates alongside the notable linguistic personalities of Bangladesh, including professor Amar Yumnam of Manipur University, professor Dr Homen Thangjam of the Indira Gandhi National Open University, professor Jinen Laishramcha of the University of Seoul, South Korea and members of the Manipur Cultural Complex, Bangladesh and the Manipuri Language Research and Development Organisation, Bangladesh.The slogan for the event of the year 2022 was "Lets speak our mother tongue, write in our mother tongue, love our mother tongue."
International Manipuri Short Story Festival in Bangladesh
The International Manipuri Short Story Festival is a 3-day international linguistic event, jointly organised by the "Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad" of Sylhet and the "Manipuri Short Story Society" of India.In December 2022, it was organised at the Zilla Parishad conference hall in Sylhet, Bangladesh.
On its first day, there was bestowing of "Sinam Tanubabu Memorial International Award 2022" to Mutum Ramani Devi, an Indian authoress from Manipur, in recognition of her literary work named “Fongngamdraba Cheinakhol”, which is an anthology of Meitei language short stories.
AK Seram, a Bangladeshi author, received the "Lifetime Achievement Award of the Manipuri Short Story Society, India".
In the event, 26 Indian writers, alongside the numerous Bangladeshi writers, attended and presented their literary works in the symposium of the event.