Thousands of people crowded the banks of the Kocha River, a branch of the Sandhya River, at Harta Union under Wazirpur Upazila in Barisal on Sunday to attend the 164th session of a traditional boat race.
The event is organized on the occasion of Lakshmi Puja of the Hindu community.
Dhaka TribuneSix teams participated in the traditional race with boats from different regions decorated in different colours in the afternoon. The teams of Amal Sarkar, Sanatan Biswas and Sonia won the first, second and third prizes in the competition, respectively.
The boat race has become a meeting place for hundreds of people from nearby upazilas, including Agailjhara, Gournadi, Swarupkath (Nesarabad) and different parts of the district.
Dhaka TribuneAt the end of the competition, local Awami League lawmaker Shah Alam distributed prizes among the winners in the evening.
Assistant Superintendent of Police of Wazirpur Circle Abu Zafar Mohammad Rahmatullah, AL Executive Committee Member Anisur Rahman, and former upazila chairman Hafizur Rahman Iqbal were present among others.
Dhaka Tribune“Through this competition, rural traditions are being presented to the new generation to some extent. So, people of different professions, irrespective of caste and religion, have come to enjoy it,” said Abdur Rashid, a local resident.
Harta UP Chairman Amal Mallick said thousands of people witness the boat race every year. Volunteers, including police, RAB and Fire Service members, were deployed to ensure security and discipline during the event. The entire program ended in a festive atmosphere.
Sushanta Ghosh, a community organizer, said it was the largest boat race event in the area after the Covid-19 outbreak.
