Border dispute leaves 300 Sidr survivors in the lurch

BAGERHAT, Nov 25 (bdprem.com) — Up to 300 residents of a remote cyclone-hit village in Morelganj Upazila have found themselves unable to source any governmental relief due to an ongoing administrative dispute over which union they belong to. Your Ad Here Mora Bhola village entered an administrative "no-man's land" after a recent change in their local unions' borders. "When we went to Mitthakahli Union chairman Shahjahan Molla for some relief materials, but we were told to go to the chairman of Jiodhora Union, Rafikul Islam Swapan. The same thing happened there," said Shefali, a local resident. Ten days after Cyclone Sidr pounded the region around 60 families living in the village are yet to receive any relief from the government due to the dispute. Just a few days before the cyclone hit on Nov 15 Mora Bhola was considered part of Mitthakhali Union in Mongla Upozila, but following an administrative reshuffle it may now belong to Jiodhora Union. Many of the villagers lost everything in the storm, although the law has now become the biggest obstacle in securing food and shelter. "My house was washed away on the night of the storm. We have been living in the open ever since," Shefali said. Mitthakahli Union chairman Shahjahan Molla told bdprem.com that they could not give any aid to the families because of the border dispute between the two unions. He added that the villagers could not be registered as voters for the same reason. "Vote is not the important thing. We are all starving here. All of a sudden it has become important what union we belong to. What kind of rule is this?" said Majibor, another local. Mongla Upazila Nirabahi Officer Syed Mehedi Hasan told bdprem.com by phone that there had been a problem distributing aid in the area because of a border dispute. "Relief has been allotted for Mitthakhali Union, which is under my authority. But the sixty families living in Mora Bhola can't get any of that because they do not belong to that union any more," Hasan said. "Our hands are tied. We cannot do anything," he added. However, Morelganj UNO Krishnakanta Biswas told bdprem.com that he would talk to the chairman involved and take appropriate action.