ABSTRACT
The earliest known people in Bangladesh area were Negritos, of whom traces are found, among various tribes, from Assam to the Pilipinas. The next group to enter were the Proto-Australoids. They were dolicocephalic, platyrrhine, and dark brown in complexion. They probably came from western Asia and spread far into south-east Asia. The peoples of Bangladesh can be divided into four ethnic groups. The dravidian group consists mainly of Oraons, with a few others of south Indian origin. The second group consists of those who are mainly proto-Australoid in origin. The Santals and Khasis are the two main components of this group. The third biggest tribe in the Chittagong Region is the Tipra and the fourth biggest, the Mru. The other tribes of the Hill Tracts District are comparatively few. The Kukis and Lushais live in the northeast, close to Mizoram State in India. They call themselves Mizo. A few Kuli and Halam are settled in south-east Sylhet District.
