The celebration of the 138th “Raj Punnah”, a traditional festival in the Bohmong circle of Bandarban, has been thrown into doubt due to the ongoing political unrest.
Sources in the king’s family said although they had decided to celebrate the festival on January 3, they were not sure whether the festival would be held because of the political turmoil.
Bohmong Prince Cha Sing Prue (Boni) said: “I am not sure about the celebration of the festival.”
Following the death of KS Prue Chowdhury, the 16th king of Bohmong Circle, on February 6 this year, the royal family nominated U Cha Prue to be the next king.
Raj Punnah is an annual revenue collection programme where the Bohmong circle king collects taxes from headmen and karbaris (village heads) in Rangamati.
The festival started 200 years back when businessmen gave an annual jhum tax at a fair at the beginning of every year. It is mostly known as ‘Paingjara Poway’ among the local indigenous communities.
All the hotels and motels remain booked during the festival, as tourists and indigenous people from remote areas, come to Bohmong circle to enjoy the royal festival.
At least 12 indigenous communities of 109 mouzas are living in the Bohmong circle of the Bandarban hill district. 14 mouzas of the circle also exist in Rangamati.
Local people set up hundreds of makeshift shops and arranged puppet shows and circuses at the fair.
