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The Miya people, alternatively identified as Na-Asamiya by themselves (lit. neo-Assamese), denote the progeny of Bengali Muslims migrants originating from the contemporary Mymensingh District, Rangpur District, and Cumilla Divisions. These individuals established residence in the Brahmaputra Valley during the 20th century, coinciding with the period of British Empire in Assam. The migration of the Miya people was actively promoted by the Colonial British Government from the Bengal Province, spanning the years 1757 to 1942. This migratory trend persisted until the year 1947. Presently, the term "Miya" is considered a pejorative word.
Concurrently, the term "Na-Asamiya," as articulated in the Assamese language, conveys the literal meaning of 'neo-Assamese.' This term was adopted by the community and forced the local elites in Assam as a means of establishing a connection with the region by pushing political power backed by the Indian National Congress and AIUDF during their tenure and creating a new identity which didn't exist before.
An alternative designation for this community is "Charua Musalman," signifying Muslims residing in the chars (riverine islands), a preference evident in their settlement patterns. They are also referred to as "Pamua Musalman," denoting Muslim farmers, given that agriculture serves as their primary source of livelihood. (2025). 9781003285540, Routledge. ISBN 9781003285540
The internal migration of Muslims peasants from East Bengal of former Pakistan was officially encouraged prior to the Partition of India by the British imperialists, the All-India Muslim League as well as a section of the Assamese elite; but it was only considered illegal after the Partition of India in 1947 when Assam belonged to India and East Bengal to Pakistan. Many of these migrant Muslims settled on the chars or river island on the Brahmaputra and other low-lying areas. After the Independence of India in 1947, the group gave up their Bengali linguistic identity, adopting the Assamese language as their native language. Gradually they adopted Assamese culture which has led to them being known as Na-Asamiya (Neo-Assamese, who are Bengali origin). The Na-Asamiyas constitute the largest of the four major Muslim ethnic groups in Assam, who together constitute a third of Assam's electorate.
The local gentry of Assam including matabbars, Barpetia matigiris, Marwaris and Assamese moneylenders encouraged the internal migration out of their own interests. The matabbars (literally meaning 'influential person' in Bengali language) were the earlier migrants, who owned large amounts of fallow cultivable lands ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 acres. With the ambition of becoming landlords they would send out the message of availability of cultivable lands to their impoverished kinsmen in their native villages in eastern Bengal. They would then either unofficially lease out their lands to the internal migrant Muslims who arrived later or hire them to cultivate their lands. Thus, they would act as de facto landlords. The Barpetia matigiris were a section of Assamese gentry in Barpeta district who made profit by selling excess lands to the internal migrant Muslims and encouraged further migration to make even quicker profits. The Marwaris and the Assamese money lenders financed the internal migrant Muslims for the cultivation of jute, ahu rice, pulses and vegetables.
Miya on History
Gradually the Assamese intelligentsia also began to accept the migrant Muslims in the fold of Assamese identity. Benudhar Sharma, President of 1956 Assam Sahitya Sabha held at Dhubri, felt that the mainstream Assamese people were happy to welcome the internal migrant Muslims into the Assamese fold, just like the Koch people, Kachari people and Ahoms. By this time the migrant Muslims began to establish Assamese-medium schools and colleges, attempting to merge themselves into the mainstream of Assamese culture. In 1961, the Census Commissioner reported that the Na-Asamiyas were honest in their intent to learn the Assamese language and send their children to Assamese-medium schools. The migrant Muslims thus came to be known as the Na-Asamiyas. To this day, there is not a single Bengali language-medium school in the areas dominated by the Na-Asamiyas.
With the official acceptance of Assamese language and close proximity to Goalpariya speakers, the Miya developed a creole Miya home language. The Miya officially adopted the Assamese language during the language movement.
Notably, the emergence of Miya poetry has generated controversy in the socio-cultural landscape of Assam, particularly eliciting responses from the indigenous populace. The inception of this movement can be traced back to the publication of "Write Down, I am a Miya" by Hafiz Ahmed in 2016. The ensuing discourse surrounding Miya poetry has led to accusations, both in media discourse and formal complaints to law enforcement agencies, characterising this literary expression as "anti-Assamese," notwithstanding its composition in the Assamese language.
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