This roundtable centers the voices of Indigenous women from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh as they speak about everyday experiences of gendered violence, displacement and representation of Indigenous women and Indigenous people in the national discourse. The event also responds to the brutal rape of an Indigenous Marma schoolgirl in September 2025, which sparked widespread protests. The conversation will explore how Indigenous women navigate the intersections of state power, settler expansion, and decolonial resistance—while asserting care and justice in the face of persistent impunity of security forces. In doing so, the event speaks to broader questions of Asian/Global Indigeneity, connecting the struggles of the CHT’s Indigenous communities to other movements for sovereignty and justice.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required for both in-person and online attendance.
Date & Time:
Friday, October 17, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PT
Location:
In-person: Room 604, Asian Centre, 1871 West Mall, Vancouver
Online: via Zoom
The roundtable is moderated by Parboti Roy (University of British Columbia) and rupak shrestha (Simon Fraser University).
Presented by the Global Asia Program and David Lam Centre, Simon Fraser University and the Indigenous Asia Initiative Steering Committee in the Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia.
Co-sponsored by the David Lam Centre, Simon Fraser University and the Department of Asian Studies, UBC.
Speakers
Myat Moe Khaing is an Indigenous woman from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Her work explores the intersectionality of Indigenous and gender politics, with a focus on social justice and decolonial approaches. She is currently a graduate student of Social Work in Australia. With a background in journalism and telecommunications and academic training in Business and Development Studies, Myat brings a multidisciplinary perspective to issues of equity, representation, and Indigenous self-determination.
Rani Yan Yan is the Advisor of the Chakma Circle, an Indigenous Peoples’ traditional administrative and governance institution in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. As an Indigenous Peoples’ rights defender and a women rights activist, her more than a decade-long activism has focused on movement building to establish peace through justice, equity and inclusiveness. Ms. Yan collaborates with and facilitates strategic partnerships among local communities, national and international rights and development organizations to find solutions to pressing rights and development issues. Throughout her career, Ms. Yan has continued to empower Indigenous women through various initiatives, including facilitating the appointment of Indigenous women in all-male Indigenous traditional governance institutions and mentoring Indigenous youth activists on defending rights. Her expertise includes Indigenous Peoples’ rights, Indigenous knowledge, women’s rights, development of marginalized populations and SDGs. Rani Yan Yan has emerged as a fearless voice and outspoken advocate for equal rights and justice, despite facing immense security risks and even violence. For her unmatched commitment, courage and efforts to protect and defend marginalized peoples’ rights, Rani Yan Yan was honored with the “Global Anti-racism Champions Award” by the U.S. State Department in 2023. In 2021, she was also nominated as a finalist for the “Women Building Peace Award 2021” by the United States Institute of Peace. Ms. Yan received Australia Awards scholarship and obtained her Honours Bachelor’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies from the University of Adelaide, Australia.
Rani Ukhengching Marma‘s work centers on preserving indigenous autonomy, advancing customary rights, revitalizing the Marma language, and transforming educational opportunities for indigenous children in the region. Through her research on the Marma language, she continuously advocates for meaningful multilingual education policies in Bangladesh that honor indigenous linguistic heritage and give indigenous children the tools to thrive in their own languages. Also, as an adviser to the “Women Headman and Karbari Association, Mong Circle” she champions the rights of women traditional leaders, ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making and community spaces. Deeply committed to youth empowerment, Rani also believes in creating pathways for the next generation, ensuring Indigenous young people have access to quality education, research and other opportunities that allow them to lead their respective communities into a more equitable future while staying rooted in their indigenous and cultural identity.
