The New Nation - Internet Edition

Niaz Ahmed Khan and A.Z.M. Manzoor Rashid

It has lately been unequivocally established that medicinal plants and associated knowledge, which represent a part of rich local heritage, play a significant role in the general welfare of the upland communities of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Notwithstanding the recognition and emphasis, however, organised research and information on indigenous medicinal plants and knowledge have been strikingly limited. In the recent years, a general concern has been that this local wisdom is fast eroding for such reasons as biotic interference, shrinking land resource base, deforestation, insufficient support from the government and public policies, and lack of appropriate management and institutional structure. This article, drawing on an empirical fieldwork, sheds some lights on the indigenous medicinal plants and associated knowledge and practices in six locations in CHT, namely Lama, Sualok, Balaghata, Chemidolupara, Majherpara, Madhapara, and Sadar, under the district of Bandarban.

The following table proffers a list of important plants, which have been observed in the study areas. These plants are preferred by the Baidyas mainly for such reasons as (a) their adaptability to the edaphic and climatic conditions of the locality (b) their market potential and (c) the diverse use of many of them in different medicine preparation as the 'base' ingredient

Medicinal plants are often found along hedge and boundary lines. The shrubby species are usually cultivated as undergrowth in homestead plantation areas and also in the fallow lands. Organised commercial plantations (as distinct from irregular homestead plantations) are virtually absent. Scientific silvicultural practices (e.g. weeding, pruning) are not usually followed. Women play a major role in maintaining the (limited number of) homestead medicinal plantations in the locality. A number of Baidyas from the Marma community possess written manual (Burmese scripts) on the practice and they deal more in mainstream herbal treatment, as compared to the tantra-montro or spiritual and sacred ceremonies. The Baidyas representing the Tanchangya community are more into the practice of tantra-montro.

The knowledge and wisdom, which underpin the practice of Baidya, are mostly passed on from one generation to the other. Baidyas provide two broad categories of services: (a) plant-based (curative and preventive) treatment and healing (kabiraji); and (b) spiritual and sacred ceremonies (tontra-montro).

9 (out of 30) Baidyas maintain a reasonable stock of the major medicinal plants and herbs in and around their homestead premises. The family members especially the women typically look after these plantations. Only 3 respondents have specialised chamber for attending to the patients. Other does not have any special provision or formal arrangement, except for small wooden boxes to store the basic equipments and raw materials for the practice. Most Baidyas collect raw materials from local bazaars namely Balaghata bazar, Sualok, Bandarban sadar. For more widely used materials, Baidyas occasionally approach intermediate agents or middlemen or city-based whole-sellers. There are a few medicine shops in the City of Chittagong, which deal in herbal and medicinal plants.

It is difficult to determine Baidyas' income. Their income varies substantially and shows seasonal fluctuations (e.g. winter is often a busy time for the Baidyas in handling cases of mental disorder; high monsoon for water-borne diseases).

A good number of respondents expressed their unwillingness to discuss about their earnings. Besides, for nearly two third of the respondents, the practice of Baidya is not the only source of livelihood. They typically rely on such supplementary sources of income as small business (e.g. grocery shops), collection of non-timber forest products (bamboo, fuelwood, sungrass, honey etc.), livestock (especially pigs) rearing, sharecropping, and waged labour. The highest and lowest incomes from the practice of Baidya, as reported by the respondents (who agreed to share the information), are Tk. 1400 and Tk. 6000.

Drawing the respondents' comments and responses, the following major problems and challenges concerning the practice of Baidya may be identified:

· The most widely used species in the preparation and practice of medicine are becoming increasingly rare and difficult to procure for such reasons as rapid destruction of the neighbouring natural forests (mainly prompted by organised illicit commercial logging), bureaucratic complications and harassment (e.g. by the Forest Department), and inaccessibility and difficulties in communication and transportation.

· There is no formal arrangement or institution to train and nurture this knowledge in the locality. The institutional mechanisms for dissemination or extension of the knowledge and practice are also absent.

· The time of collection and harvesting of medicinal plants is a vital factor in ensuring efficacy of the medicines prepared thereof. The time factor is often ignored or by-passed by the Baidyas due to acute shortage and great demand of these plants.

· Competition Local people nowadays prefer 'modern' mainstream medication. The reduced number of patients, coupled with the difficulty in obtaining raw materials, makes the practice of Baidya almost unsustainable.

· The young generation does not show much interest in learning the traditional practice. They feel that Baidya as a profession is not promising for the above reasons.

· Majority of the existing Baidyas buy the raw material (spices, plants, stamp, seeds, roots etc.) of their practice from the local markets. Many respondents reported that these materials are generally of low quality and poor stock.

· The Baidyas, who want to ensure a sustained source of quality seed and seedling, badly feel the absence of a central propagation nursery.

· Institutional and external support and patronisation, especially from the government, for the development and promotion of indigenous medicinal plants and knowledge are nearly absent in the study areas.

Drawing on the respondents' comments and our observation during the fieldwork, the following ideas and clues on possible improvement may be considered:

· With the active participation of the local people, the existing medicinal plants should be systematically documented and recorded.

· Organised motivational and awareness raising campaign regarding medicinal plants and their benefits (e.g. free from negative side effects, low cost) may be carried out at the community level, especially amongst the younger population, by involving the community leaders and local community based organisations (e.g. schools and religious institutions) and NGOs.

· Experimental propagation nurseries may be established under government and non-government initiatives to ensure sustained supply of seedlings.

· The mainstream research institutions in the country, especially the forest and agricultural research institutes and universities may be encouraged to provide the much-needed research support for proper documentation and dissemination of the knowledge on medicinal plants and associated folk and herbal treatment methods.

· The local press, media and folk cultural practices (e.g. folk theatres) may be utilised as community-based extension and dissemination media to highlight the importance of conserving this traditional practice and heritage.

· Local base and community relations-two of the major benefits of some of the local NGOs and community based organisations may also be exploited for initiating a network or platform to bring the Baidyas together.

The age-old indigenous practice of Baidya is currently threatened by a host of problems including limited availability of the required plants and herbs; rapid destruction of natural forests; lack of formal arrangement or institution to train and nurture this knowledge; lack of organised propagation nurseries; inadequate Institutional and external support and patronisation (especially from the government); low quality and poor stock of raw materials in the open market; and unwillingness among the youngsters to learn and adopt the practice. Despite the rather dismal present state of affairs, this deeply rooted social practice, which has significant value as a community service, still holds great potential, remains too important to be ignored, and therefore, deserves the attention and support of all concerned.

[ Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan is Professor of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and Honorary Research Fellow, Centre for Development Studies, University of Wales, UK. Contact: niaz.khan@yahoo.com; and A.Z.M.Manzoor Rashid is Assistant Professor of Forestry and Environmental Science at the Shahjalal University of Science &Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh.]