Beens
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Srimangal (Bangladesh) - 5,000 | |
| Languages | |
| Bengali and Hindi | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Indo-Aryan peoples |
The Been people (Bengali: বীন, Hindi: बीन), also known as Bind (Bengali: বিন্দ),[1] are a Hindi-speaking community that live in Srimangal, Bangladesh. They were transported to the Sylhet region in the nineteenth century by the British in order to work as tea garden labourers - an occupation which they continue to live by today. They are originally from the border region between West Bengal and Bihar. They are Hindus and maintain a distinct identity in addition to their Bangladeshi national identity, due to cultural, linguistic, geographical and historical reasons. Many have adopted the Bengali language; although only 10% of the community are actually literate in the language.[2]
