Faridpur unrest: Blockade lifted for tonight, protest to resume tomorrow over reassigning unions ahead of national election
According to a recent EC gazette, Algi Union and Hamirdi Union of Bhanga upazila (Faridpur-4 constituency) have been incorporated into Nagarkanda upazila (Faridpur-2 constituency).
Faridpur witnessed its second consecutive day of unrest today (9 September) over the Election Commission's (EC) decision to reassign two unions from Bhanga upazila to Nagarkanda upazila.
Protesters, who enforced a daylong blockade, withdrew it around 7pm this evening with a warning that they would resume the blockade again from tomorrow morning.
According to a recent EC gazette, Algi Union and Hamirdi Union of Bhanga upazila (Faridpur-4 constituency) have been incorporated into Nagarkanda upazila (Faridpur-2 constituency).
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In protest, demonstrators have cut off road communication between Dhaka and 21 southern districts.
Since 8am, protesters have been cutting down trees and setting tires ablaze to block highways at Hamirdi bus stand, near the union border, and at Shuadi highway bus stand in Algi Union, among other points.
By 10am, the blockade spread to the Dhaka-Barishal highway, causing severe gridlock stretching several kilometres across three highways. Only ambulances and emergency vehicles are being allowed through.
"We, the residents of Bhanga upazila—12 unions and one municipality—are like one family. We cannot accept this decision of the Election Commission," said Shamim, a protester.
Sharif of Algi Union added, "We have been tied to Bhanga for 118 years. Our union is only five kilometres from Bhanga, where KM College is located. How can the EC suddenly make such a wrong decision? This decision cannot be accepted."
BNP Chairperson's adviser Zaherul Haque Shahjada Mia issued a statement condemning the reassignment. He stated that an application was made to the Election Commission to reassign Bhanga to Faridpur-5, as it was before the 2014 changes.
"A hearing was held, where I presented my arguments. But instead of acting on that, the EC detached two unions from Bhanga and attached them to Nagarkanda, which falls under Faridpur-2," he said.
Md Rakibuzzaman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhanga Highway Police, said senior officers are in talks with demonstrators to restore order.
By midday, protesters were seen cooking khichuri on the road and sharing meals among themselves, while many others sought shade under roadside trees to escape the scorching heat.
Tragedy struck the upazila when Habibur Rahman Hobi (55) of Charakanda village in Algi Union collapsed in the heat and died.
His relative, Abu Said Munshi, also the joint general secretary of Bhanga upazila BNP, said, "He joined the protest and around 9:30am suffered a heat stroke under the blazing sun. He died on the way to the Upazila Health Complex."
Police, however, have offered a different account. Bhanga Police Station OC Ashraf Hossain said Hobi was a shopkeeper and died while working at his store, not while participating in the protest.
Earlier this week, protesters had similarly cut off all road communication between Dhaka and the southern region for nearly seven hours before lifting the blockade after assurances of a three-day ultimatum.
