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Boat race to go ahead in Sylhet without protesters at meeting
Published : Sunday, 23 August, 2026 at 6:52 PM
Observer Online Report
Symbolic Photo
A traditional boat race will be held on the Sunai River in Beanibazar, Sylhet, following a conditional agreement reached by local residents amid tensions over demands to cancel the event.
The decision was taken at a meeting held at Barigram Bazar after Isha prayers on Saturday night. Youths, elders, elected representatives and prominent people from different villages of Lauta Union attended the meeting. However, those who had demanded cancellation of the boat race under the banner of “Tawhidi Janata” were not present.
Lauta Union Parishad Chairman Delwar Hossain said the dispute over the boat race had been resolved through mutual understanding. However, it was decided that the event would not be organised on the Sunai River from next year.
The meeting was chaired by Delwar Hossain. M A Mannan, chairman of Mollapur Union Parishad; former Lauta Union chairman Gaus Uddin; UP member Abdul Latif; Beanibazar upazila BNP Vice-President Ataur Rahman; Lauta Union BNP President Jalal Uddin; JASAS Beanibazar upazila unit convener Mujibur Rahman; social worker Abdul Wahab; Lauta Union Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary Abdul Ahad; Beanibazar Upazila Jubo Dal Joint Convener and Lauta Union Jubo Dal President Enam Uddin Dilal; Abdul Malik and Khaled Ahmed, among others, were present.
Speakers at the meeting said the boat race was a longstanding traditional event in the area. They urged everyone to act responsibly so that differences or misunderstandings over the event do not damage peace, harmony and communal relations. They also said local problems could be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
However, Maulana Nurur Rahman Masuk, Maulana Abdul Haque Qasemi, secretary of the Beanibazar upazila unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, and Hossain Ahmed, president of Ward No. 3 Jamaat-e-Islami, who were among those protesting against the boat race, were reportedly absent from the meeting.
Chairman Delwar Hossain said the organisers, Bahadur Gangpar Youth Society, had sought permission to hold this year's boat race as scheduled. However, they agreed not to organise the event on the Sunai River from next year. As both sides agreed to the arrangement, the dispute was resolved peacefully, he said.
He added that the meeting also stressed preventing any fresh dispute or tension surrounding this year's event.
Aminul Islam, general secretary of the boat race organising committee, said the competition would be held on Friday, August 28, as scheduled. He urged people not to be misled by any misinformation.
He said preparations were underway to organise the competition according to the predetermined schedule following discussions and cooperation from local residents.
Beanibazar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abu Jafar Mohammad Mahfuzul Karim said he had learned that the issue had been resolved peacefully. However, he said he was not aware of any agreement that the boat race would be held on August 28 this year on the condition that it would not be organised from next year.
-HIS
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
