Cox’s Bazar, 13 February 2025:
Language is one of the most essential cultural elements of any ethnic group. For ethnic minority communities such as the Rohingya, preserving the mother tongue as an element of intangible cultural heritage is particularly significant, especially in light of the current sociocultural dynamics within the world’s largest refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. As part of this preservation process, it is crucial to document the Rohingya language and its components for future generations while maintaining its distinctive linguistic characteristics.
The Hanifi Team’s Rohingya Calligraphy Masterclass is one such initiative that contributes to preserving the linguistic heritage of the Rohingya people by teaching calligraphy as a visual art form using the Rohingya Hanafi Script. Conducted by the Hanifi Team, the masterclass equips participants with the skills to write in their native script, fostering cultural identity and artistic expression. By promoting this traditional script, the initiative not only strengthens the community’s connection to its heritage but also helps ensure the continuity of Rohingya written traditions for future generations.
The masterclass is structured to help participants easily grasp the fundamental elements of the Rohingya language in the Hanafi Script, beginning with the alphabet and progressing to tone marks and their usage. Once participants gain a clear understanding of the script, they are introduced to the art of calligraphy through traditional Rohingya proverbs, poems, and generational wisdom. Initially, participants practice on slates using chalk and gradually transition to cartridge paper, where they create calligraphic works using traditional bamboo reed pens.
The Hanifi Team is among the first to promote the Rohingya language and the Hanafi script through initiatives such as the Rohingya Calligraphy Masterclass. Ideally, we should have initiated this effort ourselves; however, the Hanifi Team approached us with a proposal to preserve and promote the Rohingya language through the Hanafi script. We deeply appreciate this initiative and remain hopeful that our language will be well documented and preserved for future generations.