Due to lessening and reducing population, the generation of Meitei people in Sylhet have problems in speaking fluent Manipuri language as they speak Bengali language more than their own mother tongue. The Meitei people speak Manipuri language with heavy Bangladeshi accent.[18]
Associations and organizations including but not limited to the "Manipuri Language Research and Development Organisation, Bangladesh", the "Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad", the "Manipur Cultural Complex, Bangladesh", etc. work for the development of Meitei language, Meitei literature and Meitei culture in Bangladesh.[19][20]
Regarding the similarities and differences between the Bangladeshi Meitei language and Indian Meitei language, Ethnologue says the following:
“Intelligibility of Meitei in Bangladesh is difficult. Those in Bangladesh may understand India Meitei better than vice versa possibly due to more language change in Bangladesh over the years. India Meitei is more standard. Intelligibility between dialects in Bangladesh definitely sufficient to understand complex and abstract discourse. Lexical similarity: 80%–86% between dialects in Bangladesh, 65%–70% between Bangladesh and India varieties.”
There are thirteen villages in Sylhet District, which are Amborkhana (Nongthombam Leikai in Meitei language), Nayabazar, Shibgonj, Goaipara, Kewapara, Sagordighirpar (Pukhri Mapan in Meitei language), Baghbari, Laladighipar (Sapam Leikai in Meitei language), Lamabazar (Leichom Leikai in Meitei language), Doxingach, Rajbari (Konung Leikai in Meitei language), Brojonath Tila (Meitei people refer to it as Brajanath Leikai but earlier it was known as Narasingh Tila) and Noyabazar (Sylhet P.S.) among others.[1]
Mouluvibazar district
Moulvibazar District has twenty-eight Meitei populated settlements, which are Photiguli, Goalbari, Naldhari, Boroiloli (Kulaura P.S.), Ramnagar, Khaspur, Balishira (Shrimongol P.S.), Gouranagar, Puthadhor, Chotodhamai, Patharia, Gourangabil (Borolekha P.S.), Madhobpur, Chaiciri (Nongthombam Leikai in Meitei language), Homerjan, Majhergaon, Shangaon (Hamom Khul in Meitei language), Haqtiarkhola, Shripiire, Bhandarigaon, Chitlia, Noyapattan, Ganganagar, Bhanubil, Katabil Tateygaon (Mange Makhong Khul in Meitei language), Mongolpur (Haobam Leikai in Meitei language), Konagoan (Kamalgonj P.S.), among others.[1]
Habiganj district
Habigonj District (Chunarghat P.S.) had four Meitei settlement areas, which are Gaborkhula, Abadgaon, Shibnagar and Dudhpatil.[1]
Sunamganj district
Sunamgonj District (Chatak P.S.) has three Meitei populated settlements, which are Nayanpur, Lakhat and Ratanpur.[1]
The slogan for the event of the year 2022 was "Lets speak our mother tongue, write in our mother tongue, love our mother tongue".[28]
International Manipuri Short Story Festival in Bangladesh
The International Manipuri Short Story Festival is a 3-day international linguistic event, jointly organised by the "Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad" (Meitei: ꯕꯥꯡꯂꯥꯗꯦꯁ ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯁꯥꯍꯤꯇ꯭ꯌ ꯁꯪꯁꯗ/বাংলাদেশ মণিপুরী সাহিত্য সংসদ) of Sylhet and the "Manipuri Short Story Society" of India.
In December 2022, it was organised at the Zilla Parishad conference hall in Sylhet, Bangladesh.
On its first day, there was bestowing of "Sinam Tanubabu Memorial International Award 2022" to Mutum Ramani Devi, an Indian authoress from Manipur, in recognition of her literary work named “Fongngamdraba Cheinakhol” (Meitei: ꯐꯣꯡꯉꯝꯗ꯭ꯔꯕ ꯆꯩꯅꯥꯈꯣꯜ/ফোংঙমদ্রবা চৈনাখোল), which is an anthology of Meitei language short stories.
AK Seram, a Bangladeshi author, received the "Lifetime Achievement Award of the Manipuri Short Story Society, India" ("Rajkumar Sitaljit Memorial Award").
In the event, 26 Indian writers (predominantly from Manipur and Assam), alongside the numerous Bangladeshi writers, attended and presented their literary works in the symposium of the event.[29]
In the 8th Liberation Docfest Bangladesh 2020, a 52 minute documentary Meitei language film "Highways of Life", directed and written by Amar Maibam, won the "Best Film" award. It is the only Indian film & second from Asia to be selected from 1,800 films, against seven documentaries from Belgium, Slovenia, Germany, Argentina, UK, Italy and Iran, in the event.[32]
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