Listing of voters begins

Listing of voters in 111 former Indian enclaves under Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Panchagarh districts began yesterday, about one year after they got Bangladeshi nationality following ratification of enclave exchange deal between Bangladesh and India.

Amzad Hossain, an enumerator at ex-enclave Bhitorkuti in Lalmonirhat Sadar, said they are listing voters by going door-to-door and also with the help of the list prepared jointly by Bangladesh and India. 

Nazrul Islam, 45, of Bhitorkuti in Kulaghat union, said, "We got our nationality, but we have not got National Identity (NID) card. And so, we cannot avail different government or non-government facilities."

Azizul Islam, 48, of Gotamari under Gotamari union of Hatibandha upazila, said, "Election officials confirmed that we will get NID card in the first week of August this year," he said.

Union Parishad elections in nine unions -- seven under Patgram upazila, one under Hatibandha upazila and another under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila -- have been suspended because the ex-enclave people have not received NID cards.

Around 37,370 people are living in 111 ex-enclaves under Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Panchagarh districts, of them 9,670 people belong to 59-ex-enclaves under three upazilas in Lalmonirhat.

The remaining 52 ex-enclaves, of which 12 are in Kurigram, four in Nilphamari and 36 in Panchagarh, have a population of 27,700.

Asad Mia, 56, of Dashiarchhara under Fulbari upazila of Kurigram, said four of his family members were listed as voters.

District Election Office sources said listing of eligible ex-enclave people as voters will continue till July 16, and taking of photographs of voters will start on July 17 and continue till July 25. The final voter list will be published on August 4. They will get their NID cards after that.