Hartal Underway in Bagerhat Over Reduction of Parliamentary Seats, DC's Office Entry Blocked, Lock on Election Office

In protest against the final gazette reducing one of the four parliamentary seats in Bagerhat to three, the All-Party United Committee has been observing a hartal and road blockades since morning.

The program, which began at 6:00 AM on Monday (September 8), will continue until 6:00 PM in the evening.

It is learned that leaders and activists have blocked the district's major roads and at least 20 important locations by placing tree trunks, vehicles, and benches. These include the central bus stand on the Bagerhat main road, in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office, Dashani, Nowapara, Katakhali, Mollahat Bridge on the Khulna-Dhaka highway, Signboard Bazar on the Bagerhat-Pirojpur highway, Mongla bus stand on the Khulna-Mongla highway, and various other points where blockades are ongoing. As part of the hartal, around 8:30 AM, the activists locked the main gate of the district election office. Later, they marched to the front of the Deputy Commissioner's office. At the main gate of the DC's office, the vehicle of Dr. Fakhrul Hasan, Deputy Director of the Local Government Division, was blocked, forcing him to walk to his office. The activists then gathered in front of the DC office building. Around 9:00 AM, they prevented Deputy Commissioner Ahmed Kamrul Hasan from entering his office. Unable to enter his own office, he went to the District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer's office instead. From morning, these programs were attended by former District BNP President M.A. Salam, District BNP Member Secretary Muzaffar Rahman Alam, District Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Maulana Rezaul Karim, Secretary Sheikh Muhammad Yunus, BNP leader Fakir Tariqul Islam, and other leaders and activists. Bagerhat had four parliamentary seats for a long time. However, on July 30, the Election Commission preliminarily proposed that instead of four seats, there would be three in Bagerhat for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election. Since that decision, intense resentment has spread across the district. The All-Party United Committee has announced one program after another. Leaders and activists from Bagerhat also participated in the Election Commission's hearing demanding the retention of four seats.

However, on September 4, the Election Commission published the final gazette, retaining three seats with boundary changes. In protest against this, today's hartal and road blockades are being observed under the call of the All-Party United Committee.