Seat redrawing: Traffic returns to normal in Faridpur's Bhanga as blockade is lifted

However, locals say they will continue to push for a five-point list of demands, including a restoration of old parliamentary constituencies

Traffic has returned to normal in Faridpur’s Bhanga after protesters lifted a blockade that protested the redrawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries in the area and demanded the restoration of the old boundaries.

On Tuesday, the third day of a three-day protest programme, the protesters blocked the Dhaka-Barisal highway in the Pukhuria and Hamirdi areas of Hamirdi Union for some time, but later cleared the road.

No blockade programme was conducted on the Dhaka-Khulna highway.

In addition, a large number of law enforcement personnel have been deployed in the area following the violence on Monday. However, there is less traffic on the road than usual.

Around 8:30am, people were seen blocking the highway with electricity poles and tree trunks. Later, they lifted the blockade around 9:30am of their own accord.

However, the anger among the protesters has yet to dissipate. They said they would continue their movement to push for a five-point list of demands, including the restoring of two unions to the Faridpur-4 parliamentary constituency.

Highlighting their demands, local Ibrahim Khan said the Algi Union chairman should be released unconditionally, the case filed over the violence should be withdrawn, the administration should not harass locals at night, and new cases should not be filed over these incidents.

If these demands are not met, the protest movement will continue, he said.

Meanwhile, a large deployment of law enforcement personnel was seen in the bus stand area adjacent to the Bhanga roundabout of the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway on the Dhaka-Khulna highway.

In a gazette published by the Election Commission on Aug 4, Bhanga Algi’s and Hamirdi unions were transferred from the Faridpur-4 constituency and merged into the neighbouring Faridpur-2 constituency.

Locals blocked the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways as well as the rail line in Faridpur three times in the past few days to protest the redrawing of the constituencies. This has caused immense suffering to people in the 21 districts of South Bengal.

On Sunday night, the police registered names of 90 suspects and indicted 150 unidentified others for disrupting law and order in connection with the ongoing protests and blockades.

The protesters blocked two spots on the Dhaka-Barishal and Dhaka-Khulna highways on Monday morning. Thousands of people from other unions then joined the Algi and Hamerdi residents protesting.

At around 1pm, several thousand people from different areas joined a procession in the bus stand area carrying sticks, machetes and makeshift weapons. They immediately attacked the police personnel on the scene.

Ten to 12 armed police personnel ran and took shelter in the nearby Bhanga Central Eidgah Mosque. At one point, madrasah teachers and students and people from the mosque took up positions and protected them.

From there, the protesters went towards the police station. They vandalised the police station as well as the vehicles stationed there. Police personnel were trapped inside. Later, the Upazila council office was also vandalised extensively. Motorcycles were set on fire.

The highway office and the municipality office were also vandalised.

Around 10pm, Dhaka Range Deputy Inspector General Rezaul Karim Mallick, Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Hasan Molla, and other senior officials visited the scene.

After the inspection, the deputy commissioner said that a report was sent to the Election Commission that night to reconsider the redrawing of the constituencies.