Professional Barriers and Perceived Threats to Cultural Continuity among the Nomadic Bedey Community in Munshiganj District, Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Sociological Study

Abstract

This cross-sectional sociological study examined professional barriers and perceived threats to cultural continuity among 122 members of the Bedey community purposively recruited from Tongibari and Gazaria upazilas of Munshiganj District, Bangladesh, during fieldwork in 2020. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, income and expenditure, occupational activities, housing, savings, public acceptance, and perceptions of occupational continuity. Most respondents reported no formal education (81.1%), and 84.4% had a monthly income of Tk. 5,000-9,000. Only 2.5% considered total household income sufficient, 77.9% reported needing capital for their occupation, 32.8% worked during the off-season, and 22.1% reported savings. Women were identified as the main household earner in 63.1% of households. Because several contingency tables contained sparse cells, associations with income were evaluated using Pearson chi-square statistics with Monte Carlo p-values and Cramer’s V. Monthly income was associated with age group, need for occupational capital, and perceived occupational-income sufficiency (all Monte Carlo p < .001), but not with gender or children’s education. Respondents also identified changes in education, public awareness, technology, treatment options, and modernisation as pressures on traditional occupations. The findings describe the selected study sites rather than the national Bedey population and indicate the combined importance of livelihood insecurity, occupational transition, education, and housing instability for cultural continuity.