Rohang

Rohang is a historical and cultural name used by the Rohingya people to refer to parts of the northern region of present-day Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The term is primarily associated with areas such as Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and parts of Rathedaung, which have historically been inhabited by the Rohingya people.

Etymology

Roshango is mentioned as a region in Padmavati, a literary work written by Alaol published in the 17th century. Rohang is thought by some scholars to be a derived form of this term, although the origin and etymology of Roshango remain uncertain.

Today, Rowangchhari is an upazila in Bangladesh. Its name is believed to derive from Rohang and Chhari, the latter meaning a stream, and is thought to reflect settlement by emigrants from Rohang.

History

Early history

The region of Rohang had of the earliest Indianized kingdoms in Southeast Asia. The region was ruled by the Chandra dynasty.

Arrival of Islam

Due to its coastline on the Bay of Bengal, Rohang was a key centre of maritime trade. According to Syed Islam, Arab merchants had been in contact with the region since the third century. The Rohingya population trace their history to this period.

Kingdom of Mrauk U

In the 15th century, Min Saw Mon of the Kingdom of Mrauk U fled to Bengal following dethronement. He returned 24 years later and regained control of the region in 1430 with military assistance from the Bengal Sultanate. The Bengalis who came with him formed their own settlements in the region.

Burmese conquest

Following the Konbaung invasion, the kingdom collapsed. The invaders consequently executed thousands of men and deported a considerable portion of the population to central Burma, leaving Rohang a scarcely populated area by the time the British occupied it.

Mayu Frontier District

Mayu Frontier District was established in the region by U Nu following the 1960 Burmese general election based on the advice of Sultan Mahmud. Following the 1962 Burmese coup d'état, administration of the zone was taken over by the Burmese army. In 1974, the military government incorporated the zone into Arakan State, currently know as Rakhine State.

2020–present

Following the military coup in 2021 in Myanmar, Rohang experienced intensified armed conflicts, particularly between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Arakan Army. The battle for Maungdaw resulted in heavy fighting, large-scale and shelling.

In 2025, Jamaat-e-Islami proposed a Rohingya-majority state in Rohang independent from Myanmar during a meeting with Chinese Communist Party officials and claimed that they were emphasizing a need for a safe zone in the area.

Geography

Rohang borders the Bay of Bengal to the west and the Chin Hills to the east. The region features a mix of coastal plains, river deltas, and hilly terrain.

Several rivers, including the Mayu and Kaladan, traverse the region, providing fertile soil for rice cultivation and acting as natural transportation routes.

Demographics

The people of Rohang have historically been known as the Rohingya, Rohai or Rohshangee. The population is primarily composed of Indo-Aryan Rohingyas and Tibeto-Burman Rakhines. The ethnonym Rohingya is believed to be derived from the name Rohang.

See also

• Rohingya people
• History of Southeast Asia