Indigenous Villages in C'nawabganj

<i>They cast vote but never see any MP</i>

3 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Rabiul Hasan, C'nawabganj

Unlike in other areas of the country, election fever hardly touches indigenous people in villages about 10 miles from Chapainawabganj district town. Known as Kole community, the indigenous people in Billbailtha, Ashrayan, Chatrapukur, Ajirabailtha and Babudainng villages in Jhilim union of Sadar upazila do not have any interest in the upcoming election. Talking to this correspondent some indigenous people said no member of parliament ever visited these villages. Campaign is going on in most areas of the district but no candidate visited their villager so far. Moreover, they have little time to talk politics as they remain busy in earning livelihood. "We can not ventilate our demands and problems as no MP or political leader visited our villages in the past. None came to campaign for any candidate for the upcoming election also”, said indigenous leader Laxman Kole. These villages are known for hillocks and lucrative picnic spots bBut no newspaper reaches there and the locals have few televisions and radios at homes. The light of education is yet to reach there as they are sidetracked by government development projects. The poor villagers are virtually isolated from the rest of the district socially, and politically; and there has not been any effort by any political party to integrate them in the mainstream of development. Yet, they go to polling centres on the polling day and cast votes in every election. Women wear new clothes on the day and go to the polling centres in groups and cast their votes in a festive mood. Ashli Kole and Mangli Kole said political leaders do not give any importance to them as they do not visit the villages for election campaign. Laxman Kole said they can not avail modern facilities because of bad communication system. Most of the children refrain from going to schools due to financial crisis. "We have been suffering from many socio-economic problems but nobody pays any attention to our problems," he said. The condition is almost the same in Dkhhinpara, Raipara and Jalahar villages in the same union where majority of the people are Santal. Good communication system, sanitation and primary education facilities are absent in the villages, said indigenous leader Shyam Tudu. Most of the indigenous people live on government lands.