‘Tauhidi Janata’ demand halt to boat race in Sylhet
A group of people under the banner of ‘Tauhidi Janata’ has demanded that a boat race on the Sonai River in Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet be cancelled. Alongside posting about the issue on Facebook, they have also held a meeting to press their demand.
According to local residents, a boat race has long been held in Lauta union at the initiative of young people from Lauta and Bahadurpur villages. An annual boat race has been organised this year as well, and the competition is scheduled to take place on 28 August.
Soon after the boat race was announced this year, some people began campaigning on Facebook for a week under the banner of ‘Lauta union Tauhidi Janata’, demanding that the competition be cancelled. They also held a meeting at the local Barigram Bazar Mosque last Thursday under the same banner and made the same demand.
A local resident said people from nearby areas, as well as local residents, come to watch the boat race every year. The event creates a festive atmosphere in the area. No one had objected to such an event in the past, but the organisers are facing opposition this year for the first time.
Lauta union Parishad Chairman Md Delwar Hossain said, “The UNO has asked both sides to come to his office at 5:00pm today, Saturday. I am looking into the concerns of both sides. I am sure the matter will be resolved through discussions.”
Prothom Alo spoke to Beanibazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Umme Habiba Majumder about the issue. She said, “The matter is not exactly as it is being portrayed. It is not a major issue. Boat races have traditionally been held here for a long time. Recently, a religious leader spoke about it, saying that fights often break out during such rural events. That is why he called for the race to be cancelled.”
The UNO further said, “The riverbank and cultivated land are damaged because of the boat race. Fights also take place almost every year. The race was not held last year either because of fighting. Considering this, one side wants the boat race stopped, while the other wants it to go ahead. It is a local issue. The local chairman has been given responsibility for holding a meeting with both sides and resolving the matter. The organisers will have to obtain administrative permission to hold the race. So we will also assess whether there is any possibility of deterioration in the law-and-order situation.”
According to the organisers, the boat race will be held in the Trigangarmukh area of the Sonai River, located between Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet and Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar. Boats must be registered by noon next Friday to participate. The first prize will be a large cow, while the second prize will be a goat.
Those involved said boat races have been organised on the Sonai River for 15 to 20 years. Aminul Islam, a member of the organising committee, said, “A small number of people are protesting against the event. However, local elders in Lauta union will hold a meeting with both sides on Saturday afternoon. Everyone is in favour of organising the boat race. We hope the race will take place as scheduled.”
A video of the meeting held at Barigram Bazar Mosque has circulated on social media. Three people can be seen speaking in the video. However, Prothom Alo could not independently confirm their identities.
In the video, one speaker can be heard saying that an attempt is being made to turn the boat race into a gambling event. He said this would have a negative moral impact on young people in the area. He also claimed that the event causes riverbank erosion, damages the riverbank and narrows roads. According to him, religious-minded people do not want such an event. He also said traffic congestion occurs during such events, making it difficult to take patients along the roads.
Another speaker said the boat race should be stopped to prevent attempts to create disorder in the area. He claimed that a woman was killed several years ago in connection with such an event, and that fights broke out and boats were damaged. He said this had tarnished the reputation of local residents. According to him, some people are using the boat race to serve their own interests. He also claimed that farmers suffer because of the event, as their seedlings are damaged, and that there is a risk of clashes surrounding the event. Therefore, he said, the boat race should be stopped.