Updated Draft Voter List
Nearly 3 lakh new voters in Sylhet
Staff Correspondent, Sylhet

A total of 2,90,905 new voters were added to the updated draft voter list in Sylhet division.

The new voters include 1,26,948 women. The division had 50,81,483 voters as per the earlier voter list.

Deputy Election Commissioner of Sylhet division Khondaker Mizanur Rahman told the Daily Star that copies of the draft list are available at the offices of Union Parishad, district and upazila election offices and ward commissioners' offices in city areas as well as the divisional office of the EC.

The EC will accept petitions containing demands, objections and amendments related to the list until March 23.

Of the four districts in the division, Sylhet added 98,446 new voters, Moulvibazar 56,104 voters Habiganj 60,810 voters and Sunamganj 75,545 to the list.

In the Sylhet city corporation area, 16,775 new voters, including 7,936 women, were added to the updated draft voter list, official sources said.
Source : The Daily Star

Sylhet tension may boil over into major conflict
M Abul Kalam Azad
Published On: 2010-03-07
Source : The Daily Star
Bangladesh Rifles has recommended that the government take diplomatic steps immediately to see the Indian Border Security Force change its aggressive attitude on the Jointapur border in Sylhet.

In a letter to the ministries of home and foreign affairs, BDR Chief Md Mainul Islam said if BSF continues to act aggressively, it might trigger off a major border conflict any time.

BDR officials said frequent intrusion and killings of Bangladeshis in indiscriminate firing by BSF heightened tension on Jointapur border.

BSF members in the bordering area have been very aggressive since early February to capture Dibirhaor, a water body rich in fish in Bangladesh's possession, they said.

"BSF intruded into Bangladesh territory in Jointapur eight times in 23 days since February 4," said a BDR official after visiting the border area last week.

He said BSF members even encouraged Indian civilians to trespass and occupy the water body.

In February, BSF fired hundreds of rounds, leaving two Bangladeshis killed and many injured.

"They also beat up and abducted a BDR jawan. He was released after 12 hours," the official said.

The BDR chief in the letter said the aggressive behaviour of the Indian border guards was aimed at capturing adversely possessed lands, including Dibirhaor in Jointapur.

According to Directorate of Land Records and Surveys, Bangladesh holds 162 acres of adversely possessed lands in Jointapur upazila against India's 60.53 acres. BSF along with civilians has been trying to capture the lands. Tension rises in the area whenever BDR tries to thwart them, the BDR chief said.

The letter said a group of BSF members intruded into Bangladesh territory on February 4 and fired on Nayek Mojibor Rahman. They abducted Mojibor after beating him. BSF refused to release him despite repeated requests from BDR. He was finally handed over to BDR after 12 hours.

On February 14, Indian border guards made an incursion into Bangladesh territory and shot dead two civilians. There were also instances of intrusion and firing by BSF on February 17, 21, 22, 23 and 27. In many cases, BDR retreated in the face of indiscriminate firing by BSF.

The letter said the situation on Jointapur frontier began to deteriorate after a BSF battalion from Kashmir was sent to the border in September 2009.

The BDR director general called his counterpart last week asking him to control the BSF members on Jointapur border, said a BDR officer wishing anonymity. The BDR DG visited the area later as the situation deteriorated following BSF's aggressive behaviour.

Bangladeshi fishermen have been fishing in Dibirhaor for decades. But now they avoid the place due to aggressive attitude of the Indian border force.

"Whenever Bangladeshis try to go there, BSF opens fire on them," he added.