2.5 lakh enclave people yet out of voter list

This is because of lack of permission of the Indian government to allow voter enrolment officials to visit the enclaves. As a result, the people of the enclaves are likely to be deprived of applying their right to vote in the forthcoming general election next year.

The Indian government has imposed strict rule in movement of people of the enclaves who are isolated from Bangladesh. Thirty-three enclaves having 1.5 lakh population are situated in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Panchagarh. The enclaves are surrounded by India on all sides.

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There are 11 enclaves in Panchagarh, 18 enclaves in Kurigram and 4 enclaves in Lalmonirhat with an area of 12 square mile.

The people of the enclaves are totally detached from the main land. Although they are citizens of Bangladesh but they are always being deprived of applying their franchise because in previous elections the Indian government did not permit the voting officials to go to the enclaves to conduct voting mechanism.

Although people of the enclaves are demanding for a long time to be enrolled as voters but due to negative attitude of Indian government and indifference of Bangladesh government their dreams remain unfulfilled.

On receipt of transit pass from the Indian government in 1983, an assistant registration officer including some supervisors and data collectors had an opportunity to visit some enclaves to enroll the inhabitants as voters. But the voters did not get chances to cast votes as the presiding officers, polling agents and law enforcement agency members failed to reach there.

Deputy Election Commissioner Hamidul Alam, also In-Charge of Rangpur Regional Election Office told this correspondent voter enrolment would begin as soon as the Indian government respond to a request of the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh government made on October 25 last year. The Indian government did not respond to the request till the first week of this year.