Protesters, who blocked the Shahbagh intersection for three hours on Friday demanding the construction of a bridge between Bhola and Barishal, have suspended their demonstration.
The organisers said everyone must wait until further instructions are announced.
Shahbagh Police Station,Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khalid Mansur, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the protesters left Shahbagh intersection around 6:30pm. He said vehicular movement has returned to normal.
Earlier on Friday, after gathering in the area, they announced a march towards Jamuna, the residence of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Demonstrators began arriving at Shahbagh after Jummah prayers, marching from different parts of the capital. Police placed barricades on the Shahbagh-Bangla Motor road and took up position to prevent any escalation.
Ismail Sumon, one of the protesters, told Times of Bangladesh that a bridge is essential for people travelling between Bhola and Barishal.
“We suffer immensely,” he said. “We rely entirely on launch services to cross the river. Night travel becomes almost impossible. Even bringing someone to Dhaka for medical treatment often requires waiting an entire day.”
He added that most protesters are either residents of Bhola or people who had already been living in Dhaka for work.
The demonstration had halted traffic movement in the area, caused immense suffering to the commuters for a few hours.
