Desk Report,
Protest march against Satkhira-4 constituency realignment
Protest marches and rallies were held in Shyamnagar to protest the Election Commission’s decision to redeline the boundaries of Satkhira-4 constituencies. These programs were held at Shyamnagar Municipality around 8:30 pm on Wednesday.
Protest march against Satkhira-4 constituency realignment
The Election Commission (EC) has decided to redeline the boundaries of a total of 39 parliamentary constituencies in the country, including 2 constituencies in Satkhira, ahead of the upcoming national elections. Discussions and criticisms began in Shyamnagar when the news spread yesterday. Around 8:30 pm, more than two hundred people from the bus stand area took out a protest march and circled various roads. At that time, they kept chanting slogans like ‘I do not accept the Election Commission’s decision, I do not accept it’, ‘Shyamnagar constituency was, Shyamnagar will remain’, ‘Cancel the reorganization decision, it must be done’. Later, the protesters held a road meeting at the JC Complex premises and demanded the immediate cancellation of the Election Commission’s decision to redeline the seats. Satkhira District BNP Joint Convener Moniruzzaman, former Upazila BNP Convener Solayaman Kabir, District BNP member GM Liaquat Ali, former Chairman Sadekur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Rafiqul Islam and others spoke at the event.
The Election Commission has published the primary gazette by rearranging the seats of two of the four parliamentary constituencies in Satkhira. Before the rearrangement, Satkhira-4 constituency was made up of 11 unions, 1 municipality and 8 unions from a part of the neighboring Kaliganj upazila. This time, it has been proposed to form Satkhira-4 constituency by rearranging 11 unions, 1 municipality and 11 unions from Asashuni upazila.
Local residents claim that Shyamnagar upazila and Asashuni upazila do not have a direct connection. To go from Shyamnagar to Asashuni, one has to cross the river over Kaliganj upazila or by boat.
On the other hand, Satkhira-3 constituency had 11 unions of Asashuni Upazila, 5 unions of Debhata Upazila and 4 unions of Kaliganj Upazila. It has been proposed to reorganize and form a parliamentary constituency with 12 unions of Kaliganj Upazila and 5 unions of Debhata Upazila.
