<i> Mandra, Bede voters hope for a better tomorrow</i>

By the time lakhs of literate and well-off people reading this story, a new sun has risen for them with the nascent democracy back home when Shukkur Jan Bibi had her last few nights sleepless knowing that the first ray of a burning democratic sun is intolerable.
Shukkur Jan, already bearing a burnout life, knows it is only a matter of time for the loser in the 9th parliamentary elections to rush to her boat on which she has made a home and her ancestors also lived floating on the waves of rivers.
Being a voter for the first time Shukkur, a middle-aged female belonging to Mandra community in Barisal, could not hold her back from voting which she did in the last Barisal municipal election that was proved a mistake and brought havoc on her family at the end.
“Had you people voted me, I would not have lost the fight in the election. You cannot live here anymore as this is our river,” said the order by which Shukkur was threatened by the people of a defeated municipal commissioner candidate.
So, Shukkur, who is currently living on Kittonkhola river nearby a shanty called Rasulpur Shanty under Barisal-5 constituency, the main city, voted in any election yesterday.
As the loser's men could not do anything due to the state of emergency and non-partisan government, they often come at nights and throw abusive words at them every other day at night. The matter is not settled yet.
“Had I not cast my vote in today's election, I would have another problem added to the earlier one. Many political people have seen me going to cast vote. The loser one will definitely send his men in a short time,” said Shukkur with a sigh, adding that local people always keep their eyes on the community's every single activity.
“It seems unbearable to be a voter being a citizen of the country as if it is a sin or wrongdoing becoming a voter,” said the woman, who has been living on the river for the last 30 years.
Rashid Shikder, Shukkur's husband, said, “It is not that we are a large number of voters and we determine the election results largely. But the wrath of the loser fell on us at first in the municipality election as we belong to the minority communities.”
Shukkur Jan is not alone. Though it is not known officially how many voters there are, thousand others belonging to the same community share the same fate here this year.
The areas where the people of Mandra community live on the river include Shreepur, Nalchhiti, Laharhat, Karnabari, Jaduganj, Saheberhat, Ujirpur, and Swarupkathi.
In Barisal region, members of bede (gypsy) community might be founded in numerous places who were also made voters for the first time.
In Rasulpur, Shukkur has her neighborhood of 30 boats, on each of which lives a family consisting of at least three voters.
“One of the candidates offered us money one night. As we refused, they made us promise touching the holy Quran or candidate's head or by the name of Allah as none believe us,” said Ayesha, a neighbour of Shukkur, adding that we just begged for 30 bhithas, a place to build dwelling places, if he wins.
They knew that begging or canvassing would not bring a good result as the incumbent municipal commissioner also promised the same but did not visit the place even for a single time since his wins, she added.
“Had the government spent a single moment thinking about us, we would have received some relief goods. But we never received,” said Ayesha, while her seven-year-old girl child Parvin sat on a corner of the boat.
“Now the loser claims ownership of Kittonkhola, while the river itself gets narrower day by day. What could I do but move towards another place,” said Shukkur determined with saving her honour and that of her young girl whom local political youths harass verbally while puffing cannabis or having liquor by the riverside often at night.
As this correspondent prepares for leaving, the seven-year-old brave Parvin with a sweet innocent smile on her face drives him ashore in a tiny little boat that jerks violently on the Kittonkhola.
Ayesha looked on sitting in her floating home, while a dissipated Shukkur shouted, saying, “Pray for us and write something before the poll results as you have known the peace the election is bringing for us tomorrow.”