On a bone-chilling winter morning, 50-year-old Jashim Uddin sat on the deck of his small wooden boat, gazing at the distant riverbank. A faint ray of sunshine struggled to pierce through the cold, offering little solace to the father of three. For Jashim, a leader of the Manta community—a nomadic group living on boats in Bangladesh's rivers—the future seems increasingly bleak as the harsh realities of climate change intensify their daily struggles.
Born and raised on the river, Jashim has spent nearly five decades afloat. Like the 1,000 other members of his community, the river is his home, his livelihood, and now, the site of his greatest hardships. "We don’t stay in one place for more than three months," Jashim explained, his voice tinged with both pride and resignation. "But life is no longer what it used to be."
The nomadic communities dwelling in Bangladesh’s rivers are widely known as the Bede people or, in local terms, Bebaijja. However, members of the Manta community claim they are distinct from the more commonly recognized Bede people.
Mumtaz, a 40-year-old Manta woman and the wife of Jashim, explained the key differences between the two groups. “The Bedes mainly earn their livelihood through cupping therapy, snake catching, and treating snakes, while we, the Mantas, rely entirely on fishing in the rivers,” she said.
Despite this distinction, historians have differing views on the origins of the Manta people. There is no concrete historical evidence regarding how they became boat-dwelling nomads, but some scholars believe the Mantas evolved as a sub-group of the Bede. In her book Bede of Bangladesh, researcher Ranjana Biswas sheds light on this transformation:
"The Bedes’ close association with snakes is not very ancient. In the past, nomadic groups primarily relied on fishing, snake hunting, and folk healing practices. However, during the Sena dynasty, under the influence of Brahmanism, they were pushed to the margins of society as a lower-class community. To survive, they sought refuge in the rivers and gradually began identifying themselves as the Manta people."
Linguistic evidence also suggests a strong connection between the two groups. The Bede people have their own language called Thar, while the Mantas speak Chol—both of which share significant similarities.
According to a book on indigenous communities in Bangladesh by researcher Mithushilak Murmu, approximately 50,000 Manta people live across the country, with the majority residing in the Barishal Division. The rivers of Patuakhali, Bhola, Jhalokathi, Barishal, and Comilla are dotted with Manta boats, marking their enduring presence as one of the last remaining river nomad groups in Bangladesh.
These vast communities live sporadically in the rivers close to the Bay of Bengal’s coastline. Jashim’s group consists of around 180 families, mostly rooted around Laharhat in Barishal Sadar.
Jashim’s boat, just 20 feet long and 5 feet wide, serves as home for his entire family. Cramped with cooking pots, fishing nets, and the few belongings they own, the boat leaves little space to move, let alone relax. Winter is particularly unforgiving.
"Cold winds cut through us like knives," Jashim said. "We can't afford proper winter clothing, so we endure in silence. But summer is worse—our tin roofs and polythene sheets trap unbearable heat, making it hard to breathe. Even stepping outside for air means facing the scorching sun directly. There’s simply no escape from the heat."
Like winter and summer, the monsoon season brings added perils. Families spend sleepless nights bailing out water to keep their boats from sinking. "It’s especially dangerous for our children, who could fall overboard," Jashim said. There have also been recent cases of children drowning. He added, “One of my relative’s children died when a storm hit. We searched for him all night and finally found him floating lifeless at dawn.”
For a community that contributes little to global warming, the Manta people bear its harshest consequences. Saltwater intrusion, exacerbated by climate change, corrodes the bottoms of their boats, forcing repairs every two or three months. "Years ago, we could go eight or nine months without fixing our boats. Now, it costs Tk 4,000–5,000 each time," Jashim lamented. "A new boat costs Tk 60,000–70,000—an impossible sum for us."
Fishing, the Manta community’s sole livelihood, is no longer reliable. Overfishing and pollution have depleted fish stocks, forcing families to survive on credit during lean seasons. "We used to catch several bags of fish daily. Now we’re lucky to catch four or five," shared Mumtaz.
Another woman, Ayesha Khatun, relies on handlines for fishing but faces growing challenges. "Every day, the number of fish decreases, and our struggles grow," she said. "Fishing is all we know. We have no other way to live."
Health and Hygiene Hazards The polluted river, their lifeline, has become a source of disease. Villagers dump waste into the water, leading to outbreaks of diarrhea, cholera, and skin infections. With no access to clean drinking water or sanitation, the community faces constant health crises. "If someone falls sick while we’re out fishing, it’s nearly impossible to get to a hospital in time," Mumtaz said.
Though river erosion is a common problem in coastal Bangladesh, the Manta community faces a unique challenge. The Mantas usually set up temporary camps near local bazaars, where they buy necessities and maintain connections with locals to access tube wells and toilets.
“When the river swallows the land, the deep tube wells and toilets disappear with it. Now, to collect water and use toilets, we have to travel far. But if we don’t have strong ties with the locals, they may be reluctant to share their resources with us. It takes time to build trust. This is one of the many struggles we face due to river erosion,” Jashim explained.
Despite their hardships, the Manta community holds onto hope. "The government has provided homes to others. Why not us?" Mumtaz asked. "A house would mean education for our children and a chance at a better life."
Jashim echoed her plea. "We are citizens of Bangladesh. We have national ID cards. Doesn’t that entitle us to a piece of land—a home where our children can grow up with dignity?"
The Manta people also advocate for sustainable practices to preserve their way of life. "Banned fishing nets like current nets destroy juvenile fish stocks. If these were prohibited, even bare hands would be enough to catch fish," Mumtaz suggested.
They also urged authorities to combat river pollution. "This river is our lifeline," Jashim said. "Protecting it is vital for our survival."
As Jashim looked out at the riverbank, his hope was tinged with uncertainty. "We were born on boats and have lived our lives here. But must our children suffer the same fate? The government must ensure the next generation doesn’t spend their lives adrift like us."
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