Local residents of Bhanga Upazila in Faridpur have once again blocked major highways in protest against the decision to merge Algi and Hamirdi Unions of Bhanga Upazila into Nagarkanda Upazila.
The blockade began on Friday (September 5) around 8 AM. At Bhanga Golchottor, including areas like Suoyadi, Pokuriya, Monsurabad, and Hamirdi Bus Stand, protesters simultaneously blocked the entry points to the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways. Thousands of locals are demonstrating by felling trees and burning tires.
Due to the blockade, vehicle movement on these two vital highways has come to a complete standstill. Long-distance buses, cargo trucks, and various other vehicles are stranded, causing extreme hardship for passengers. As Bhanga Upazila serves as a gateway for 21 districts in southern Bengal, the disruption has impacted a vast region.
Police from Bhanga Highway Thana and local stations are deployed at the scene, attempting to control the situation. Bhanga Highway Thana's Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Rokibuzzaman said, "Local residents have blocked the entry points of the two highways at Bhanga Golchottor. This has created severe traffic congestion. We are present at the site trying to normalize the situation, but the protesters have not yet cleared the roads."
Protesters stated that the Election Commission's gazette has removed Algi and Hamirdi Unions from Faridpur-4 constituency and incorporated them into Faridpur-2 (Nagarkanda-Saltha). This has effectively divided Bhanga Upazila, which they refuse to accept. They demand the restoration of five parliamentary seats in Faridpur and keeping Bhanga Upazila intact. They warned of prolonging the blockade if necessary.
For context, on Thursday (September 4), the Election Commission published the redrawn boundaries for 300 parliamentary seats ahead of the 13th National Parliament elections. This reduced Faridpur's seats from five to four. The seats were similarly reduced in 2013, fueling local resentment.
Note For Readers:
The CEO handles all legal and staff issues. Claiming human help before the first hearing isn't part of our rules.
Our system uses humans and AI, including freelance journalists, editors, and reporters.
The CEO can confirm if your issue involves a person or AI.
by 
