Inquisition on settlement pattern and house form of the tea worker’s community in sylhet region: A comparative study between Malinichara tea garden Sylhet & Varaura tea garden Sreemangal

Abstract

Tea production industries are major economic sector in Bangladesh, having huge number of employments. This industry is developing and adding to the national economy since 19th century. From the very beginning till date, this sector requires a huge number of human labor. The tea workers aren't native in this region. The British companies who owned the Tea industries, brought them from different parts of India about 150 years ago. They have distinguished ethnic identities which have been being reflected on their house forms and patterns. They kept on practicing their traditions despite migrating to a new land of different culture. Although they had to adapt themselves with the climate of Bengal. To built houses, they implemented different ideas of forms and patterns. They eliminated traditional boundary or territorial barrier but maintain the traditional conformation. They made their houses with hard slush and contextual thatched roof. The object of this study is to explore their habitation pattern and details of house forms in Malinichra tea estate, Sylhet and Varaura tea estate Sreemangal. The study is grounded on data collection, field works, perceptivity and views about the lifestyle of the workers. The study focuses on the differences between erected forms and their traditional house pattern which shape the daily life of the tea estate workers.