The Manta community in Laharhat, Barishal, Bangladesh’s “river gypsies,” live permanently on boats after losing land to river erosion. With extreme poverty, no clean water, poor sanitation, limited healthcare, and almost no access to education, their lives depend entirely on the polluted river they call home. Overfishing, cyclones, and floods make survival even harder. Government support often fails because relocation sites are too far from the river, threatening their livelihood. Generations of Mantas remain trapped in a cycle of vulnerability, hoping their children can someday escape this life of hardship.
