I, with my friend Zakir, reached the Bandarban district town in 22 October 2001. We stayed here in "Hotel Green Hill." Next morning we visited the Chimbuk Hill, which is called the "queen of hills."
On the way back we reached a y-junction and met with a local government representative Mr. Aiong. Who was from the "murong" tribe.
Both of us (me and my friend) were very much eager to live with a tribal family. So, we proposed him shyly to live a night in his house. He received our proposal cordially.
It was a sunny and silent afternoon. We started for Aiong’s village, Shipru Jhiri para. The road was like a snake. It was blowing towards the feet of the hills. On the way we learned many things from Aiong.
Most of the "Murongs" are now Buddhist. But Aiong follows their traditional religion, "Gramma." To greet others they say- "Aang Chup Ang." They eat almost everything, like beef, mutton, pork, snake etc.
We reached at Aiong’s village at the dusk; it was on the top of a hill. A spring was flowing by the foot of the hill. Aiong, his wife, his son Batthia and Batthia’s wife and three children live together. Aiong has two sons more. They live in Bandarban town.
All his family members took us cordially. The female members did not know "Bengali." So they greeted us by sign language. Batthia’s one daughter and two sons are respectively four, two and one years old. I called her daughter. The little angel Ching Yan came to me, sat on my legs and grasped my neck with love. After then he always followed me. I thought- the language of love can touch everyone’s heart irrespective of nation, color, creed, caste or age.
At supper Batthia’s wife Nantum served us rice, bamboo curry, gourd and dry fish mixture, egg-fry. We were not accustomed to bamboo curry. It tasted bitter to us. A wild smell came from the gourd and dry fish mixture. We ate rice with egg fry.
After supper we went to another house with Aiong. He prepared three beds with homemade cotton-quilt. Very little creatures, "elephant insects", were biting us.
The night was going deep. Aiong was speaking about their religion, language, food, and culture. In silence the sound of spring was increasing. I felt homesick.
Quick Tips:
Foreigners will have to report the nearest police station during the travel period. Do not laugh at the tribes. Don't call them uncivilised.
Best Way To Get Around:
Foreigners can come to Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, by air from any well known country of the world. To come Bandarban from Dhaka, one may hire car or jeep. Public transport like bus or coach are available from many places in Dhaka. Railway service available from Kamlapur Railway Station,Dhaka. One can come to Chittagong by rail. And then he will have to go to Bandarban by public bus or hired car. Aeroplane comes to Chittagong from Zia International Airport, Dhaka.