Ethnological Museum (জাতিতাত্ত্বিক জাদুঘর), Chattogram

The Ethnological Museum in the Agrabad commercial area of Chattogram is the only ethnological museum in Bangladesh, showing the dress, tools and homes of 29 of the country's ethnic communities. Set up in 1965 and opened in 1974, it suits travellers heading to the Chittagong Hill Tracts who want an hour's introduction first.

Twenty-nine communities in eleven galleries

The museum covers 29 communities across eleven galleries, twelve of them from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It was created to build understanding between the country's ethnic groups, and the Department of Archaeology runs it. Displays use maps, photographs, models, wall paintings and recreated settings, each with a short introductory label.

Chakma homestead, Mro boat and other displays

A central hall holds a large wall map showing where each community lives, beside a reconstruction of a typical Chakma homestead. The Chakma section adds weapons, household objects and samples of Chakma script. The Mro (Murang) display has a boat and a scene of a cow-sacrifice festival. Marma exhibits include ornaments, festival items, a loom and spinning wheels, and the Tripura section has a house model, axes, baskets and bamboo pipes. Manipuri dresses and women's ornaments complete the Bangladeshi rooms.

Folk objects and items from India and Pakistan

Two rooms were added between 1985 and 1995, and in 1996 a gallery of folk objects from Bengali-speaking communities opened. A smaller section shows material from India and Pakistan, including silver ornaments from Swat, Sindh and Punjab, Swati weapons, a model of a Punjabi woman and models of a Sindhi bride, mother and child.