The 12 lakh residents of Barguna district are unhapoy over the failure to restore the district’s three Parliamentary seats. They have demanded to reinstate these constituencies to the Election Community.
It is learnt that Barguna, the southernmost coastal district of Bangladesh, comprises six upazilas with an area of 1,831.31 square kilometers and a population of 12,10,530. The district’s six upazilas are divided by the Payra (Burishwar) and Bishkhali rivers. Amtali and Taltali upazilas lie on the eastern bank of the Payra river, while Barguna Sadar and Betagi upazilas are on its western bank.
Patharghata and Bamna upazilas are located on the western side of the Bishkhali river. Since Bangladesh’s independence, Barguna district had three parliamentary constituencies. The then-government, considering the Payra and Bishkhali rivers, divided the neglected Barguna district into three constituencies: Barguna-1, comprising Barguna Sadar and Betagi upazilas; Barguna-2, comprising Patharghata and Bamna upazilas; and Barguna-3, comprising Amtali and Taltali upazilas. Development was progressing equitably across these three constituencies.
However, in 2008, the military-backed caretaker government, without conducting any on-site inspection, deliberately restructured Barguna’s three parliamentary constituencies into two to favor a particular political party. Barguna-1 was formed with Barguna Sadar, Amtali, and Taltali upazilas, while Barguna-2 was formed with Patharghata, Betagi, and Bamna upazilas. As a result, around four lakh people in the southernmost coastal areas of Amtali and Taltali have been deprived of development. Currently, Barguna-1 has 5,57,874 voters, and Barguna-2 has 3,70,530 voters. Of these, Amtali and Taltali account for 2,92,133 voters.
The Payra river, flowing through Barguna-1 (Barguna Sadar, Amtali, and Taltali), is 90 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide. The Bishkhali river flows through Barguna-2 (Patharghata, Bamna, and Betagi).
Due to these rivers, law enforcement agencies face significant challenges in managing elections across the six upazilas divided into two constituencies, raising questions about the fairness of the electoral process. Five applications have been submitted to the Election Commission demanding the restoration of Barguna’s three parliamentary constituencies.
However, the Election Commission, ignoring these demands, published a draft schedule without making any changes to Barguna’s constituencies. This has sparked outrage among the 12 lakh residents of Barguna, who are now demanding the restoration of the district’s three parliamentary seats.
Mohammad Aminul Islam Liton, joint convener of Taltali Upazila BNP and a leader in the anti-discrimination student movement in Dhaka’s Badda unit, said, “Since independence, Barguna district had three constituencies. But in 2008, the military-backed caretaker government, to favor the Awami League, abolished the Barguna-3 (Amtali-Taltali) constituency, reducing the district to two constituencies. This has severely deprived Barguna’s people of development. We had hoped the Election Commission would restore our rights this year, but they have played with our rights as well.”
Mohammad Jasim Uddin Sikder, president of the Amtali Journalists’ Union, said, “We had hoped the Election Commission would consider the deprivation of Barguna’s people and restore the three parliamentary constituencies, but they have treated us with discrimination. Even after publishing the draft schedule, we hope the Election Commission will consider restoring Barguna’s three constituencies.”
Advocate Mustafa Kader, former president of Barguna Press Club, said, “Barguna district is home to a poor population. To bring this population into the mainstream of development, it was necessary to reinstate the three parliamentary constituencies. I demand that the Election Commission restore Barguna’s three constituencies.”
Mohammad Tuhin Mridha, member secretary of Amtali Upazila BNP, said, “In 2008, the military-backed caretaker government, without any on-site inspection, abolished Barguna-3 to favor the Awami League and merged it with Barguna-1. The current Election Commission has done the same. I demand the restoration of Barguna-3.”
Advocate Gazi Mohammad Touhidul Islam, joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum, said, “Considering the geographical location and administrative convenience, we had hoped the Election Commission would restore Barguna’s three parliamentary constituencies, but they have deprived us. Even after publishing the draft schedule, I believe the Election Commission will reinstate Barguna’s three constituencies.”
Omar Abdullah Shahin, APS to former BNP secretary general Khandaker Delawar Hossain and a popular leader of Amtali-Taltali, said, “By not restoring Barguna’s three parliamentary constituencies, the Election Commission has violated the rights of 12 lakh people. Considering the coastal population, the Election Commission should have restored the three constituencies.
According to the Bangladesh Gazette of April 29, 2008, there is no justification for abolishing Barguna-3 (Amtali-Taltali) based on geographical location and administrative convenience. Yet, they ignored the gazette.”
