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SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF HARIJAN COMMUNITY IN RAJSHAHI, BANGLADESH
By: Golam Mohammad Nur, Md. Redwanur Rahman, S.M. Shafiuzzaman, Kamrun Nahar Soma
Key Words: Socio-economic, Livelihood, Untouchable, Harijan community, Rajshahi.
IES-Vol10-No2-p51-64, August 2023.
AbstractThe Harijan community is a marginalized group in society, subject to various socio-economic disparities and inequalities. The study aims to identify the socio-economic conditions of the Harijan community in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh, with the objective of observing how they maintain their social and economic activities. Using a mixed-methods (combination of quantitative and qualitative) research design, a sample of 170 individuals was randomly selected from ‘Ram Krishna Harijan Palliʼ (Ward No.6), and data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings indicate that the majority of respondents (96.47%) are Sanatan believers and have completed primary education (41.76%). Additionally, the majority of respondents work as scavengers (42.35%) or cobblers (27.65%). Furthermore, 42.94% of respondents spend between BDT 3001 and BDT 5000 on monthly food expenditures, and 57.06% of households incur medical costs ranging from BDT 100 to BDT 500 per month during illness, with 45.88% seeking treatment from MBBS doctors. It is strongly recommended that policymakers develop effective measures to improve the conditions of the Harijan community, with a focus on raising awareness of their socio-economic issues.
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Golam Mohammad Nur, Md. Redwanur Rahman, S.M. Shafiuzzaman, Kamrun Nahar Soma
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF HARIJAN COMMUNITY IN RAJSHAHI, BANGLADESH
IES-Vol10-No2-p51-64, August 2023.
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