Locals stage human chain demanding formation of "Jamuna Upazila"

Residents of the char areas on the eastern bank of the Jamuna River in Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj have long been demanding the creation of a new administrative unit named Jamuna Upazila.

To press home their demand, several thousand locals formed a human chain and blocked a two-kilometre stretch of the Sarishabari-Kazipur road at Brammanjani Bazar on Monday (November 3) noon.

The programme was organised by the Jamuna Upazila Implementation Committee, with participation from people of six unions - Natuarpara, Tekani, Khasrajbari, Nishchintapur, Chargirish, and Mansurnagar - all from the eastern part of Kazipur upazila. Vehicular movement on the road remained suspended for about an hour due to the blockade.

Participants chanted slogans such as "Let's unite to realise our demand for a new upazila" and "One demand of six unions - Jamuna must be our new upazila."

Engineer Mahbubur Rahman Samun, leader of the Upazila Implementation Committee, said more than two lakh people living in the six unions have long been neglected and deprived in terms of education, healthcare, and development as they are geographically isolated by the Jamuna River. He expressed hope that the formation of a new upazila would help remove such disparities. "We are ready to continue this movement until our demand is met - even unto death if necessary," he added.

Former Natuarpara union chairman Abdul Kader, retired teacher Altaf Hossain Master, Principal of Alhaj Farhad Ali Memorial Degree College Abul Kalam Azad, and Abdul Baki BSc, among others, also spoke at the event.

Teachers, students, and people from different walks of life took part in the programme.

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