Protesters block Faridpur’s Bhanga road for 3 hours over EC’s constituency reorganisation
Under the change, Algi and Hamirdi unions were removed from Faridpur-4 constituency and included in Faridpur-2 constituency.
Communication between Dhaka and the southern districts was cut off for about three hours today (5 September) as locals enforced a blockade in Faridpur's Bhanga upazila, protesting the recent inclusion of two unions into Nagarkanda upazila by the Election Commission.
The blockade began around 3:50pm at Bhanga Gol Chattar, after locals resumed their protest for a second time in the day. It was lifted around 7pm following assurances from the upazila administration, with protesters issuing a three-day ultimatum to reverse the decision.
Bhanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Ashraf Hossain said residents of the two unions had earlier blocked the two highways in the morning by felling trees and burning tyres, creating long tailbacks. The move followed the Election Commission's gazette notification redrawing the boundaries of two parliamentary constituencies in Faridpur.
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Under the change, Algi and Hamirdi unions were removed from Faridpur-4 constituency and included in Faridpur-2 constituency.
"Locals, mostly from the Algi union, gathered again in the afternoon at Bhanga Gol Chattar, halting Dhaka's road connectivity with the southern districts. They gave a three-day ultimatum before withdrawing the blockade this evening," he added.
Earlier in the day, from 8am, protesters cut down trees and set fire to tyres at Hamirdi and Suyadi bus stands — points along the boundary between the two unions.
The blockade stretched across several kilometres of the two highways, stranding hundreds of vehicles.
