Bede: A Nomadic existence

Bede: A Nomadic Existence The Bedes are a Muslim nomadic community who travel around the country to earn a living and they gather in 75 locations of the country to meet their families and other community members for one to two months. A floating people, the majority of the Bedes are completely landless. Before modernization, the Bedes were highly regarded in Bangladesh society because of the service they provided to millions of people. As healthcare and medicines became more accessible and relatively cheaper, the traditional occupations of the Bedes started to decline. The Bedes are now poverty-stricken with extremely low literacy rate. Most of them have abandoned their boats. They roam around the country and live temporarily in tents they set on private or khas land. It is a big challenge for the roving Bedes to settle permanently on land, a common desire. Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) carried out a study in 14 Bede settlements with a population of 55,408 in eight districts around the country. The monograph presents findings on demographic and socio-economic conditions of the community, which is a valuable addition to the academic and public discourse on social exclusion of the Bede in Bangladesh.