In Arakan State, people have lived for over four thousand years. Historically, some of these people came from India. Among them, some worshipped the sun and moon, using Sanskrit and Nagori languages. Around 780 CE, the governance of Arakan came under the Sun and Star (San Tara) family. During this period, Islam was introduced to Arakan through Arabian and Iranian traders. Those who accepted Islam became Muslims, while others remained non-Muslims, leading to the establishment of separate villages for each group.
Evidence from that time shows that the term "Rohingya" referred to people who did not embrace Islam. These communities lived in Arakan for several centuries. Historical research indicates that, behind the Romma mountains on the Burmese side, there was a garden from which some Rakhine people migrated to Arakan approximately 150 years later. Consequently, three main groups emerged in Arakan: Muslims, Rakhine, and sun-and-moon worshippers. These groups coexisted peacefully as brothers.
In 957 CE, a Mongolian group invaded Arakan, overthrowing the San Tara family and transferring governance to the Rakhine, as the former rulers could not win the war. Despite the Rakhine gaining power, they continued to live alongside Muslims. During this time, both groups used Sanskrit and Nagori scripts, although their spoken languages differed. For example, a Rakhine who converted to Islam would retain their mother tongue.
However, the Rakhine leaders began to fear that the Rohingya, with their distinct language and script, might become influential on the global stage. This fear led to efforts to suppress and erase the Rohingya language and script. While outwardly maintaining harmony, the Rakhine harbored concerns about the potential impact of Rohingya identity.
Burma's forces launched multiple attacks on Arakan, including significant wars in 1044, 1406, and 1784. In each conflict, the Rakhine and Burmese sought to suppress the Rohingya language and identity. Over time, these efforts, coupled with forced assimilation and oppression, led to the loss of the Rohingya script and language.
When the British arrived in 1925, they intensified efforts to suppress the Rohingya identity. Under such circumstances, it was nearly impossible for the Rohingya to preserve their language and script. Despite these challenges, the Rohingya people survived, albeit without their linguistic heritage. By the mid-20th century, they primarily spoke Burmese and Urdu.
In 1952, a child named Oli Ahmad (later known as Molana Mohammed Hanif Rageb) was born in Firig Doung village. A talented poet from a young age, he became deeply interested in the lost Rohingya language and script. During the 1970s, he began studying inscriptions from the San Tara period and earlier, written in Sanskrit and Nagori scripts. These inscriptions were found in Arakan and are preserved in magazines and archives in Myanmar, London, and other countries.
Molana Mohammed Hanif Rageb lauched several times modifying Rohingya alphabet in the late 1970, 1974, 1980.and his committee worked to reconstruct the Rohingya script, analyzing historical evidence and aligning it with their linguistic heritage. By 1983, the committee reintroduced the script to the Rohingya people, enabling them to read and write in their language once again. This effort led to the establishment of the Rohingya Zuban Committee, which focused on teaching the language.
In 2012, Mohammed Noor, the son of Mr. Noor Alam of Hati Para in Northern Arakan (Maungdaw township) who is director of R Vision TV, collaborated with the Rohingya Zuban Committee. He played a key role in adapting the Rohingya language for Unicode, enabling it to be used on computers and smartphones. By 2018, the Rohingya language was officially registered in Unicode, ensuring its preservation and accessibility in the digital age.
Despite the many challenges faced by the Rohingya people, their language has been revived. Today, thanks to the efforts of Molana Mohammed Hanif Rageb, Mohammed Noor, and the Rohingya Zuban Committee, the Rohingya language is preserved for future generations. Let us offer prayers for their efforts and the resilience of the Rohingya community.
Video Recorder: Molona Mohammed Saleem ( President of Rohingya Zuban Committee )
Script Writer: Muhammad Arfan ( Hanifi Team Member)