Mahali people

The Mahali (colloquially Mahli) are a small ethnic group living in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Basketry is their main occupation. and in the northern districts of Rajshahi, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Rangpur and Sylhet of Bangladesh. They speak the Mahali language, which belongs to the Munda group, and many of them also know Odia, Santali, Bengali, and Hindi. In India they are included in the list of Scheduled Tribe.

The Mahali of Bangladesh ir forefathers migrated from the Buru Disham hills of Jharkhand over a century ago. They speak either Mahali or Santali, though today's educated generation speak Bengali and English as well. There are 3 tribes among them: Nagpuriya, Sikroya and Rajmahle. A total of 9 family names can be found among the Mahles – Dumri, Bare, Karkusho, Kauria, Khanger, Mandri, Hansda, Baske & Besra, of which the first 4 family names are almost extinct today. Provided by Wikipedia