Vanishing voices: Indigenous languages at risk in Sylhet

Sylhet division is home to numerous ethnic minority communities, who speak approximately 33 different mother tongues, including Kharia, Patra, Manipuri, Khasi and Kokborak.

However, many members of these communities, especially those from the younger generation, have lost the ability to read, write, or even speak their mother tongues.

A total 14 languages are on the verge of disappearing for lack of preservation efforts.

To preserve these languages, different initiatives are being undertaken by individuals and organisations.

Pius Nanuar, a social activist from Kharia community, has been deeply involved in efforts to preserve the Kharia language, which is on the brink of extinction with only a handful speakers left at present.

"I learned Kharia language from my grandmother in my childhood. It is my connection to our community's heritage, through the folklore, myths, and cultural stories. After my grandmother passed away, I began looking for ways to revive the language," he said.

In 2017, Pius initiated the "Bir Telenga Kharia Language Learning Centre" to teach young Kharia people their native language. The initiative, however, did not see much success as the language does not have its own script, and instead uses Latin alphabets, which complicates the teaching process.

The case is same with Lalenghar, the mother tongue of Patra community. In absence of its own alphabets, Lalenghar has largely been an oral language. To write in the language, the community uses Bengali alphabets as a substitute.

Gaurang Patra, president of Patra community's welfare association (PASCOP), said around 637 Patra families live in 31 villages and tea gardens in Sylhet.

PASCOP has been engaged in imparting primary education to children in the community in their mother tongue in an effort to preserve it, he added.

The Manipuri Language Center, a non-governmental organisation, has been working to since 2015 to preserve the Manipuri language, spoken by around 10,000 people from the community in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar.

The MLC offers Manipuri language classes to primary students. Also, it developed a book on Manipuri language education to support these efforts.

Kunja Rani Sinha, headmaster of Chhongaon Government Primary School, said he has initiated an after-school programme to teach Manipuri alphabets to children for an hour on every Tuesday.

Brinda Rani Sinha runs a Manipuri language training centre in Khola village, while Kanthoujam Shilpi, an assistant primary school teacher, provides both online and offline lessons on Manipuri language.

People from the Khasi community established a school to teach their mother tongue to children in Hosnabad Punjee in Sreemangal upazila in 2022, said Krin Potham, headman of the punjee.

Yuburaj Debbarma, a postgraduate in anthropology and a resident of Tripura Palli in Doluchhara in Sreemangal, had started a school to preserve Kokborak, the mother tongue of around 5,000 people from ripura community. The school, however, is no longer operational.

Janak Debbarma, president of the Greater Sylhet Tripura Unnayan Parishad, demanded establishment of a cultural centre for the Tripura people to further protect their language.

Lakshmikanta Singh, executive director of Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO), said such initiatives are of utmost importance to preserve the linguistic heritage of these ethnic communities and foster a sense of pride and identity among their younger generations.