Social Exclusion of Bihari Muslim in Bangladesh

Abstract

This paper aims to describe the social exclusion of Bihari Muslims of Moulavibazar district of Bangladesh who migrated from India. An attempt has been made to highlight their multidimensional aspects of vulnerability and day- to- day struggle for survival. Bihari Muslim people are among the migrants who came to Bangladesh in the period of partition in 1947. From that time they have been facing many difficulties, experiencing exclusion in the all spheres of their life and struggling hard for their survival. They are concentrated mostly in tea garden areas and struggling hard for their survival due to their impoverished economic condition and hostile social environment. They had to neglect every sphere of their life after coming to a new country where everyone dislikes them because they came from a Hindu originated country. Mainstream people always criticise them saying ‘Jala Muslim’. They rebuke, neglect, exclude and deprive them from every step of the privileged space. Mainstream people think Bihari people as a mean creature of God. The social status of Bihari people is very low in context to the mainstream. They do not give food to Bihari people in their dishes. Even the local Hindus do not allow them to touch their water pitch. They treat Bihari people as untouchables. At earlier Bihari people were not allowed to enter into the Mosque for prayer. Moreover when tube well and sanitary ring were provided from the tea garden the mainstreams were first selected. Bihari Muslim people are also excluded in the employment, education and health care delivery system.