Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Sept 8, 2026 (BSS) – For nearly three decades, families of the Bede (river gypsy) community in Rupnagar, Dhamrai, have dreamed of a home of their own — a safe address and a better future for their children, came true as the Dhaka district administration has allocated khas land for them. 

Dhaka Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Farida Khanom also handed over sewing machines to the women and Taka 5 lakh for development of the community at a programme held at the conference room at her  Office today.

Deputy Director of Local Government (in-charge) Jaber Md. Sowaib, Dhamrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Al Mamun and Staff Officer to the Deputy Commissioner Md. Israfil Jahan were present at the programme.

Members of the Bede community have been living in Rupnagar area under Kulla union of Dhamrai upazila for around 30 years. Most of the families have never owned land or had permanent housing. At one time, boats served as their homes, while later they settled on land belonging to others, leaving them without any certainty of secured residence.

In an effort to change this situation, the district administration has allocated khas land for permanent settlement of the community members.
At the same time, 25 women from the community were given sewing machines to help them engage in income-generating activities and become financially self-reliant.

The women had applied for sewing machines through the district administration's 'Hello DC' initiative. Responding to their applications, the administration handed over the machines to them.

Officials concerned said the initiative would not only create employment opportunities for the women but also increase the prospects of the families becoming financially self-sufficient.

A cheque for Taka 5 lakh, allocated from a special fund of the upazila parishad, was also handed over for infrastructure development of the Bede community and improvement of the living standards of its residents.

Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanom said no disadvantaged community should be left out of the country's development process.

"The people of the Bede community are also an integral part of our society. We are working to bring them into the mainstream by ensuring permanent homes, creating employment opportunities and expanding access to education for their children," she said.

She said assistance alone was not enough and opportunities should be created so that people could change their own lives.

"We expect the women of the Bede community to become self-reliant through self-employment and the families to become financially stronger," she added.

On August 20, the Deputy Commissioner visited the Rupnagar Bede community and spoke to its residents about their housing crisis, lack of employment opportunities, children's education and other difficulties in their daily lives.

It was reportedly the first field-level visit by a district commissioner to the community in nearly 30 years.

During the visit, Farida Khanom assured the residents of permanent housing, opportunities for self-employment and government support.

Within a few weeks, the district administration began implementing those commitments through the allocation of khas land, distribution of sewing machines among 25 women and allocation of Tk 5 lakh for development of the community.

After years of uncertainty, the dreams of the Rupnagar Bede families now go beyond simply having a home. They are hoping for a permanent address, income-generating opportunities for women and a better future for their children.