'Since independence or before none came to make us voters'
Rashida (standing) and Panna (right) with their neighbours at Gudaraghat in Lalbagh. Photo: Durdana Ghias
Rashida lives in a shanty at Gudaraghat near Lalbagh embankment. She was born at this place some 37 years ago and has been living here since her birth. But till now no one has approached her or her neighbours to get enlisted as voters.
“There are some 70 to 80 families living in jhupris (shanty) in this embankment area. None of them became voter since the time of independence or before,” said Rashida sitting on a mattress under a tree in front of her shanty.
“We have heard that this time things will be different so we are looking for the data collectors,” she said.
“Have you come to enlist me as a voter? I'm very eager to be a voter. I have heard that this time people will get photo ID cards,” said Rashida's neighbour Panna who took this correspondent to be a data collector for voter registration.
“Can you tell me how can I get enlisted? Will you write about us so that we can be voters?” said a crestfallen Panna.
Contacted, Nawabul Islam, district election officer in charge of this area, said that these people are not floating people according to the definition of the EC because they are living at the same place for a long period of time and soon EC officials will go to these places to get these people enlisted as voters.
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