Activists of banned Awami League block Madaripur highway, halt traffic for hours
Police and fire service officials said Awami League activists began gathering from around 6am on the northern side of the Gopalpur bus stand, located on the border between Kalkini and Dasar Upazilas
Awami League activists, despite the party's activities being banned, blocked the Dhaka–Barishal Highway in Madaripur by cutting down multiple trees and leaving them across the road. Traffic on the highway remained suspended for nearly four hours.
Movement resumed around 9:30am after police and fire service personnel removed the tree trunks.
The blockade was carried out around 6:30am today (16 November) in the Gopalpur area, where Awami League activists also burned tyres on the highway during the demonstration.
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According to local sources, the shutdown was led by Mir Golam Faruk, former general secretary of the Kalkini Upazila Awami League and former upazila chairman, and Enayet Hossain Howlader, general secretary of the Kalkini municipality Awami League and former mayor.
Police and fire service officials said Awami League activists began gathering from around 6am on the northern side of the Gopalpur bus stand, located on the border between Kalkini and Dasar Upazilas.
Using mechanical equipment, they cut 10 to 12 trees and dumped them across different sections of the highway, bringing traffic on both sides to a complete halt.
This has caused extreme suffering to passengers and drivers traveling long distances. The activists also burned tyres on the highway and chanted various slogans.
When police and fire service teams from Kalkini and Dasar arrived at the scene, the Awami League activists fled. Traffic returned to normal after the felled trees were removed around 9:30am.
During the shutdown programme, Faruk and Enayet placed a van on the highway and used it as a makeshift stage to deliver speeches through a loudspeaker.
They said the shutdown was being observed in protest against what they described as a conspiracy to execute Sheikh Hasina, blaming the "Yunus government." They also thanked and congratulated party activists for making the blockade a success.
Madaripur Additional Superintendent of Police Jahangir Alam said, "Upon receiving the information, I arrived at the scene with a police force. With the help of the fire service and local residents, we removed the felled trees. Traffic resumed around 9:30am."
He added that Awami League supporters had cut down several large trees, which made the removal process time-consuming. No one has been arrested so far, but legal action is underway.
