Sylhet boat race to go ahead as scheduled

The traditional boat race on the Sonai River in Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet will be held as scheduled on August 28, following an agreement between two groups involved in a dispute over the event.

The decision was reached at a meeting held at Barigram Bazar late Saturday night, where representatives of both sides agreed to proceed with the boat race.

However, protesters have requested that the venue be shifted slightly because the designated area is vulnerable to river erosion and considered risky.

A 12-member committee has been formed to assess the site, and its members will inspect the venue on Sunday afternoon.

Lauta Union Parishad Chairman Delwar Hossain told Samakal that attempts had been made to link the dispute over the boat race with the so-called “Tauhidi Janata” issue and divert the matter in another direction.

He said both sides had discussed the issue and agreed to hold the event peacefully.

He said protesters had requested that the venue be moved away from erosion-prone areas and locations near vulnerable homes. The committee will assess the site and determine whether the venue can be shifted slightly.

The 12-member committee includes Delwar Hossain, former Lauta Union Parishad chairman Gaus Uddin, Mollapur Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Mannan, Beanibazar upazila BNP Vice-President Ataur Rahman, and BNP leader and UP member Jalal Uddin, among others.

Beanibazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Umme Habiba Majumder said a meeting involving both sides was held through the union parishad chairman, where they agreed to go ahead with the event.

She said everyone had been urged to ensure that nearby settlements, farmland and erosion-prone areas were not damaged during the event. Twelve people have been assigned to monitor the matter.

The UNO also instructed the organisers to conduct the boat race with caution.

Earlier, on August 18, a group began a Facebook campaign in the name of “Tauhidi Janata” demanding that the boat race on the Sonai River be cancelled.

Samakal Online published a report on the issue on the night of August 21, followed by a report in its print edition on August 22, triggering widespread discussion and criticism across the country.

Following the reports, the upazila administration intervened. On the night of August 22, the Lauta Union Parishad chairman held a meeting with local community leaders and elected representatives on the instructions of the UNO.

The meeting helped ease tensions, and both sides agreed to hold the boat race at the scheduled time, with a possible slight adjustment to the venue.