Boat race on August 28 under condition it will not be held from next year

Delwar Hossain, Chairman of Lauta Union Parishad, has said a peaceful solution has been reached to the complication created over organizing the boat race in the Sunai river of Lauta Union under Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet.

According to the condition of the understanding, the boat race will be held this year at the pre-scheduled time but from next year the event will not be organized in the Sunai river. As a result, the boat race competition will be held in the Sunai river on August 28 under the initiative of Bahadur Gangpar Jubo Samaj. The organizers have also confirmed organizing the competition at the scheduled time.

A meeting on this matter was held on the ground floor of Pubali Bank PLC building at Baraigram Bazar after Isha prayers on Saturday. Youths, elders, public representatives and representatives of different classes and professions from various villages of Lauta Union took part in it. In the long discussion, the situation created over the boat race, opinions of the locals and ways to avoid such complications in future were discussed.

However, among those who were protesting demanding a ban on the boat race, Maulana Nurur Rahman Masuk, Maulana Abdul Haque Kasemi, Secretary of Beanibazar upazila unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, and Hossain Ahmad, President of Jamaat-e-Islami of Ward No 3, were not present in the meeting. Delwar Hossain, Chairman, claimed that considering the local situation they have agreed to a peaceful solution of the matter. He also informed that they have denied the matter of protest under the banner of ‘Tawhidi Janata’.

Delwar Hossain, Chairman, said, “The organising organisation Bahadur Gangpar Jubo Samaj has sought the opportunity to organize the boat race on time this year. But they will not organize the boat race in the Sunai river from next year. As both sides have given opinion on this decision, the problem has been solved peacefully.”

He further said importance was also given in the meeting so that no new dispute or tension is created centring this year’s event. As understanding has been reached on the basis of mutual understanding after long discussion, relief has returned among the locals.

Aminul Islam, General Secretary of the boat race organizing committee, said the competition will be held on August 28 at the pre-scheduled time. The complication has been solved through cooperation of the locals and mutual discussion and preparation for organizing the competition is now underway.

No comment could be obtained from Umme Habiba Majumder, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Beanibazar, on this matter.

Abu Zafar Mohammad Mahfuzul Karim, Officer-in-Charge of Beanibazar Police Station, said he has learnt that a peaceful solution has been reached on the matter. However, he has no information that the competition will be held this time on August 28 under the condition of not organizing the boat race from next year.