Agartala, October 11, 2025: Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, while addressing the Hojagiri Festival in Santirbazar, South District, reiterated that the Reang (Bru) community is the second largest Janajati group in Tripura after the Tripuri community. He highlighted that the Reangs migrated from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of present-day Bangladesh centuries ago, and today, the majority reside in Tripura, with smaller populations in Mizoram and Assam.

Following his remarks, certain individuals have attempted to misrepresent the Chief Minister’s statement, distorting historical facts about the community’s origins. However, authoritative historical and research-based sources leave no ambiguity about the validity of Dr. Saha’s assertion.

According to Tripurar Adivashi: Jiban o Sangskriti (Tribals of Tripura, Life and Culture) by Suren Debbarman, the Reangs initially inhabited areas along the Karnaphuli River and coastal regions of Bangladesh. Internal unrest led them to migrate into the Tripura kingdom during the reign of King Gobinda Manikya (1660–1667 AD). Historical accounts note that Queen Gunavarti Devi adopted the Reangs, who were later regarded as a favored community by Tripura’s monarchs.

Further, the Tribal Research and Cultural Institute (Government of Tripura) documents that the Reangs first originated from the Shan State of Burma (now Myanmar) and moved through the Chittagong Hill Tracts before settling in southern Tripura in successive waves.

These verified records reaffirm that the Chief Minister’s statements are historically accurate. In contrast, recent claims made by Tipra Motha MLA Philip Kumar Reang, MDC Bhaba Ranjan Reang, and Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma appear to misrepresent the Reang community’s heritage and create unnecessary controversy.

Dr. Saha’s remarks thus underscore a well-documented historical truth—that the Reang community’s migration, settlement, and cultural contributions form an integral part of Tripura’s rich tribal legacy.