Rishis of Khulna

The Rishis are among the largest ‘untouchable’ or ‘Dalit’ communities in the Hindu world. They are lower caste Hindus who were traditionally skinners, leather workers and musicians. They are also known as Muchi, Chamar or Charmakar, which are considered derogatory terms for the community. Their traditional occupations of making and sewing shoes and skinning animals are considered impure and dirty. Even in this modern era, they are socially excluded because of their name and traditional way of living. In Bangladesh, the Rishis live in almost every district of Bangladesh with their highest concentration in Khulna division. The Rishis are still treated as ‘untouchables’ in some districts of the country.

This monograph presents findings of a study of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) on demographic and socio-economic conditions of the community, which is a valuable addition to the academic and public discourse on social exclusion of the Rishi in Bangladesh.