The Growth of Tourism and ‘Development’ in an Indigenous Setting: Exploring a Case of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

Abstract

This case study examines the process of tourism development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, where multidimensional concerns related to Indigenous communities are coming to the fore. This area contains valuable natural resources that provide huge potential for the growth of tourism. However, accounts of discrimination and violations by the state towards Indigenous peoples indicate the potential for inequality and exploitation while developing tourism. Eleven Indigenous groups live in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a historically conflict-ridden area where there is tension between the dominant ethnic Bangalee and the Indigenous groups due to the latter's limited control over their way of life and the environment. Structurally, the state endorses mass tourism, where powerful actors – government, military, politically influential individuals, and companies – are engaged in determining the ‘development’ for the Indigenous people and modernising the place as a part of capitalist ventures to gain profits. Given that state actors or private investors wield power and control over tourism, exploitation ranges from Indigenous peoples' lack of control over the planning to limited participation in tourism. Therefore, this case study explores the implications of tourism development for Indigenous peoples, analysing the state’s economic intervention in favour of the Bangalee people, who are an ethnically dominant group in Bangladesh. Moreover, this case study raises questions about how the ‘development’ is taking place and identifies the practice of ‘development’ in an Indigenous setting and how the Indigenous peoples are situated in this capitalistic venture in a post-conflict setting. The case study is based on empirical findings collected through an ethnographic study as part of a PhD. The study followed ethical guidelines approved by the Macquarie University Ethics Committee in 2017. © The Author 2024