‘We want nothing, only to live safely’
On one side lies Chapainawabganj town and on the other Bargharia, with the Mahananda River in between. The two banks are connected by the Bir Sreshtha Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir Bridge, also known as the Mahananda Bridge. On the right side of the Bargharia end of the bridge, Notun Bazar village has developed along the bank of the Mahananda River, where around 140 to 150 families live. Of them, about 25 families are potters and the rest are fishermen. Except for one or two households, almost all are marginalised, poor and followers of the Hindu religion. They have no particular demands regarding the upcoming election. Their only wish is to live safely and in peace.
Ahead of the election, people from BNP and Jamaat have been assuring villagers that there is nothing to fear and that they will stand by them. Various promises are also being made. However, these assurances have failed to ease the fear, anxiety and uncertainty among the people of Notun Bazar village.
Several villagers, including Bakul Halder, 56, Furti Halder, 67, Sanjay Halder, 43, Subrata Halder, 43, and Lalon Halder, 51, spoke about the election. Sitting on folded fishing nets laid out in an open space in front of the village temple, they were basking in the gentle winter sun and chatting among themselves about the election and other issues.
Describing the situation in the village, Bakul Halder said they neither expect much nor believe they will receive anything. He said they want nothing except to live safely. He added that no one would arrange food or clothing for them and that they would have to survive by working at others’ homes. Furti Halder echoed the same sentiment, with the others agreeing.
The discussion also touched on recent incidents, including the burning to death of Dipu Das and attacks on Hindu homes in different parts of the country. Some recalled how villagers had fled to India in 1971. A sense of anguish was evident in everyone’s voice over when the country would see a stable environment.
They said that several neighbouring villages in Bargharia union, including Halderpara, Palpara and Mondolpara, are also predominantly Hindu, and the mindset of people in those villages is almost the same.
Bakul Halder said that earlier the situation was such that being Hindu meant being a boat voter. He said the boat symbol is no longer there, and now both sides are pulling for support. He added that Awami League and Hindu voters have become a factor, which is why this tug-of-war is happening.
Village resident Mina Halder, 58, said her husband Kanan Halder, 65, is bedridden due to illness. Although Tk 20,000 saved for treatment has already been spent, he has not recovered. Their household includes their speech-impaired daughter Mala, 35, and son Dukhu Halder, 24. The family survives with difficulty on Dukhu’s income. Dukhu pulls nets as a "kamla" (daily wage earner) in ponds owned by fish farmers, and in the afternoon earns some money by ferrying people on a small dinghy boat on the Mahananda River. He used to fish in the river with his father in his childhood, but now there are hardly any fish left, and no household can survive on fishing alone.
Anxiety is also high among the women of the village. Deepali Halder, Laboni Halder, Rekha Halder, Sumati Halder and several others said that women worry the most about elections and security.