Staff  Correspondent

Ending a three-decade struggle for secure shelter, water-gypsy families (Bede community) residing in Rupnagar under Kulla Union of Dhamrai upazila have officially received allocations of state-owned land (khas land), financial grants, and livelihood support.

Dhaka Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Farida Khanam handed over the land allocations, self-employment equipment, and financial aid during a ceremony at the Dhaka Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Room on Tuesday.

For nearly 30 years, dozens of Bede families in Rupnagar lived in temporary shacks on private or public lands without property rights, having previously spent generations living on boats. To ensure their permanent rehabilitation and social integration, the Dhaka District Administration allocated dedicated khas land for the families to construct permanent houses.

As part of the economic empowerment initiative under the administration’s "Hello DC" platform, 25 women from the Rupnagar Bede settlement were provided with sewing machines to support self-employment. Furthermore, a check of Tk 5 lakh was handed over from the Upazila Parishad special fund to support infrastructure development and civic amenity upgrades within the Bede settlement.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Commissioner Ms. Farida Khanam affirmed that marginalized communities must not be left behind in national development. She emphasized that providing permanent addresses, technical skills, and educational access is essential to bringing the Bede community into the socio-economic mainstream.

The government intervention follows an official field inspection conducted by DC Farida Khanam at the Rupnagar Bede settlement on August 20—marking the first visit by a Dhaka District Commissioner to the area in 30 years—where she assessed housing deficits, employment challenges, and schooling needs, pledging swift administrative action.