Marginalised Communities in Bangladesh

Who are the marginalised? They are groups of people who, for many historical, social and political reasons, fall out of mainstream society and face perpetual discrimination and exclusion — because of physical conditions such as disability, professions such as sex work or cleaning, gender identity, or their class, caste and ethnicity. Many are denied basic services and protections as citizens, and the effects pass from one generation to the next.

This book profiles marginalised communities across Bangladesh — indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the plains, Dalits, religion-based minorities, the urban poor and floating people, the Bede, Bihari people, the third gender (Hijra) community, persons with disabilities, sex workers, tea-garden workers, traditional fisherfolk, and the people of the char and haor areas. It examines their demography, education, livelihoods, food security and nutrition, health, land and dwelling, socio-financial security, access to governance, social injustice and violence, and poverty — and constructs a Marginalisation Index 2021.

The research was commissioned by Manusher Jonno Foundation and carried out by the Human Development Research Centre (HDRC).