The Independent 19/03/11

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/?opt=view&page=3&date=2011-03-19

Bedia Book release in Bangladesh 10-03-11

Include Bedey community in 5th census'
Thu, Mar 10th, 2011 7:00 pm BdST

Dhaka, Mar 10 (bdnews24.com) – Bangladesh Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon has demanded that the members of Water Gypsies, locally known as Bedey community, be included in the fifth national population census.

The countrywide census will be take place between Mar 15 and 19.

"The country has no specific statistics of the Bedey community. The government should include the Bedey community people in the next census," Menon said on Thursday addressing the cover unveiling function of the publication 'The Bedey tribe in light of anthropology'.

Bedia Federation of Bangladesh arranged the function.

Journalist Raktim Das, also the writer of the book, said the language and culture of a 1500-year-old community are on the verge of extinct."

He said that the gypsy community is facing all sorts of difficulties surviving due to state laws and religious obstacles. "The book has been published as an attempt to include this community in the mainstream, apart from preserving their cultures and traditions."

Bedia Federation convenor Anwarul Karim Razu said that the book was a document of the culture, history, language and anthropological extension of the country's Bedey community.

Dhaka University's anthropology department professor Helaluddin Shamsul Ahmed and advisor to the Bedia Federation Mahmudul Hasan, among others, also spoke at the function.

The 120-page book has been published by Nawroz Publication and priced at Tk 150.

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