As parliamentary election fervor spreads across Bangladesh, the nomadic Bede community living along the coastal rivers of Indurkani in Pirojpur finds itself once again courted by candidates but left without lasting change. Bede families living temporarily on boats in the Kacha and Baleshwar rivers say politicians visit them during campaigns with promises of education, healthcare, and security, but disappear once the elections end. Despite being registered voters, many Bedes cannot cast their ballots because they travel across the country for work and are often far from their home constituencies on election day.
Members of the community express frustration that successive governments and representatives have failed to improve their living conditions. Mirajul from Sunamganj says they have no homes and live entirely on boats, while Sardar Chattar Molla from Bikrampur notes the difficulty of educating children without access to civic facilities. Achia Begum, an elderly Bede woman, says she longs for healthcare and safety in her later years. According to the Department of Social Services, Bangladesh has about 6.3 million nomadic people, including over 800,000 Bedes.
Currently, two Bede fleets from Bikrampur and Sunamganj are stationed near the Shaheed Fazlul Haque Moni Bridge in Indurkani.
মো. শাহিদুল ইসলাম, ইন্দুরকানী (পিরোজপুর) প্রকাশ : ১১ ফেব্রুয়ারি ২০২৬, ০৫: ০৪ মো. শাহিদুল ইসলাম, ইন্দুরকানী (পিরোজপুর) সারা দেশে যখন সংসদ নির্বাচনকে ঘিরে বইছে ভোটের আমেজ, তখন সেই আলোচনার বাইরে নেই উপকূলীয় নদীপথে বসবাসকারী বেদে সম্প্রদায়ও। তবে ভোট এলে
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