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The Bedey community, traditionally nomadic and known for travelling, folk healing, snake charming and trading, has a distinctive cultural heritage. Yet little is known about the everyday struggles and livelihoods of its people, particularly the women who play a central role in supporting their families.
Historically marginalised, Bedey society is largely women-led, with women shouldering significant economic and family responsibilities. However, their contributions remain overshadowed by persistent poverty, social exclusion and inadequate access to healthcare.
The Bedeys traditionally have no fixed geographical home. For generations, they have moved from place to place, settling temporarily wherever livelihood opportunities arise. Their history reflects resilience, but the health challenges confronting Bedey women today are increasingly urgent.
Nearly 400 years ago, the legendary Mahua Pala from Kanchanpur in Netrakona portrayed the life of a Bedey community through the tragic story of Mahua. Although Mahua was not born into the Bedey community, she became popularly known as a Bedey girl. Another fictional character, Jochhona, also captured generations of readers through the popular work Bedeyer Meye Jochhona.
The literary world has similarly portrayed Bedey women in works such as Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay’s Nagini Kanyar Kahini and Al Mahmud’s Jalbekya. Yet there remains a wide gap between these literary portrayals and the harsh realities faced by Bedey women today.
In Dhaka, Bedey women can still be seen at traffic intersections, on Bailey Road and around Dhaka University. Dressed in brightly coloured saris and traditional ornaments, they often carry small wooden boxes associated with snake charming and other traditional practices.
Their distinctive appearance may attract public curiosity, but behind it lies a daily struggle for survival. As many traditional livelihoods have declined, women have increasingly become the principal earners. They leave home early, move from house to house and return later in the day, often with little opportunity to attend to their own health.
Early marriage and repeated pregnancies further increase their vulnerability. Many Bedey girls are married at around 14 or 15.
In a small Bedey settlement near the Faridpur-Munshibazar road, pregnant Kohinoor was found living in extremely fragile conditions. The settlement consisted largely of black plastic sheets stretched between bamboo poles, with a torn mat spread directly on the ground.
Another resident, 21-year-old Shabnur, already had three children and was expecting her fourth. She was suffering from severe malnutrition and feared for her own survival.
Access to safe maternal healthcare remains a major concern. Many Bedey women reportedly avoid public hospitals, saying they receive inadequate attention from doctors and nurses. Instead, they depend on traditional birth attendants within their communities.
Taslima Begum, a traditional midwife from Sadarpur, has assisted in hundreds of deliveries. She learned the practice from her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law and remains beside women throughout childbirth.
Assistant Registrar of Faridpur Medical College Hospital Dr Shikdar Afridi Riji said Bedey women receive little or no formal training in safe delivery practices.
He said periodic medical camps could help provide basic maternal and healthcare services to communities that have historically remained outside mainstream social services.
He also advocated educating adolescent girls about menstrual hygiene and personal cleanliness, warning that unhealthy living conditions pose risks to both mothers and children.
Goyalimanda in Munshiganj is another traditional Bedey settlement where several thousand people now live. Many have abandoned their boats and settled on land, while their livelihoods have gradually changed. Some women have also moved away from traditional occupations such as snake charming and snakebite treatment.
Although increasing numbers of children and girls are attending schools and madrasas, awareness of health, hygiene and sanitation remains alarmingly low.
During a recent visit, women were seen sitting beside a dead cow while pools of blood and swarms of flies surrounded the area. Nearby, other women were feeding rice to children.
Despite maintaining their traditional ornaments and dress, some women showed visible signs of skin infections and fungal problems.
The Bedey community’s distinctive culture should not become merely an object of public curiosity. Behind its colourful traditions is a community whose women continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of economic and family responsibilities while remaining deprived of essential healthcare.
Ensuring access to maternal services, reproductive health information, nutrition, menstrual hygiene education and basic sanitation should therefore be made a priority.
Government hospitals must ensure that Bedey women receive the basic healthcare services guaranteed to every citizen. Medical camps should be organised in Bedey settlements at least twice a year, accompanied by regular awareness programmes on maternal and child health, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation.
A community cannot be meaningfully included in national development while its women remain excluded from essential healthcare. Protecting the health, safety and dignity of Bedey women is not only a humanitarian responsibility but also an essential step towards building a healthier,