Barua; its True Meaning!

In Malaysia, Barua means someone with low class and everybody punchbag, but that is totally wrong!
In facts it originated from Bangladesh, a tribe with long history in Buddhism.
Maybe due to immigration of people from that tribe to Malaysia, that term become popular within Malaysian context.

Excerpt from an article i stumble from web...
http://www.booksie.com/all/all/kabyasikhari/a-brief-introduction-to-barua-community-of-bangladesh

A Brief Introduction to Barua Community of Bangladesh
This article on 'Baruas' or 'the Barua Community of Bangladesh' is written by Ven. Upali Sramon

Opinions with regard to the term “Barua”:

1. According to the Bengali Encyclopedia ‘Baruas are the descendants of a powerful dynasty of Buddhist kings’.
2. In 1891, the English Census superintendent Mr. Hunter also conforms to the above fact in his ‘Statistical Account of Bengal’.
3. Some says ‘Barua’ which means ‘great’ is a Apabhraṃsa [derivative] of the Sanskrit term ‘baṭuk’.
4. Dr. Beni Madhab Barua, the Prof. of Pali, Sanskrit and ancient Indian history of the University of Kolkata in 1938 says the term ‘Barua’ is a derivative from ‘Brijjiya’ which is derived from ‘Brijji’. Pandit Dharmadhar Mahasthavir agrees with Dr. Barua.
5. The former vice chancellor of University of Chittagong Dr. Abdul Karim says, “The Baruas of Chittagong are the earliest inhabitants, examining the history, whose influence is evident from the education, culture, and heritage of ancient Chittagong.”

Barua community in Bangladesh is one of the several communities who had been following Buddhism since long in the history of past Bangladesh. Among the other communities are Tancangyas, Chakmas, Marmas and several indigenous tribes in Chittagong hill tracts. These communities who live in Chittagong hill Tracts; have distinct languages and interesting culture.
Depending on the occupational, social and economical status although some Buddhist people use titles like ‘mutsuddi’, ‘coudhuri’, ‘talukdar’, ‘sikdar’, ‘hajari’, ‘sinha’ etc. all in fact are Baruas. Analyzing, the term Barua as derived from bara (big/great) + ariya (great Arians), a general interpretation of the origin of this community is traced back to the first Buddhists who were converted during Buddha’s time. The account of a Buddhist monk named Vangīsa (vanga- Bengal +īsa – the lord, chief or great) in Samyuttanikāya is indicated to support that argument. However scholars are not unanimous to above explanation as that does not provide enough evidence to trace the origin of the community particularly the term. Another explanation to the term is that Barua or “Baruah” or “Barooah” (meaning leader of hundred men) – as an honorary appellation given to distinguished officers in the Ahom kingdom of medieval Assam [Barua, Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia]. ‘Amor Manikye’ of the Tripura kingdom became a king with the title ‘Barua’. It is mentioned in ‘Rajamala’, the chronicle of Tripura kings;
“I am the zemindar [landlord] of the king Bijoy Manikya;
You, being a ‘Barua’ of that king, became a king.”
[as quoted by Mr. Suniti Ranjan Barua, Bangladesh Barua Jatir Itihas O Oitijyo, p. 9.]