A dawn-to-dusk strike, coupled with widespread blockades, is being observed across Bagerhat today, demanding the restoration of the district’s four parliamentary seats. The programme, organized by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, began at 8:00 am and is scheduled to continue until 6:00 pm.
Protesters have set up barricades at over 20 points, including the central bus terminal on the Bagerhat highway, the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Dashani, Nawapara, Katakhali, Mollahat Bridge on the Khulna–Dhaka highway, Signboard Bazar on the Bagerhat–Pirojpur highway, and Foyla and Mongla bus stands on the Khulna–Mongla highway. Tires were set on fire, and tree trunks, benches, and vehicles were used to obstruct traffic.
At around 8:45 am, demonstrators locked the main gate of the District Election Office before marching to the District Commissioner’s (DC) office, where they staged a rally and sit-in. During the blockade, the vehicle of Dr. Fakrul Hasan, Deputy Director of the Local Government Division, was stopped, forcing him to walk into his office. District Commissioner Ahmed Kamrul Hasan was also prevented from entering his workplace and had to enter the Relief and Rehabilitation Office instead.
The strike is being led by prominent BNP leaders such as Khan Monirul Islam, Nipu Mina, Fakir Tarikul Islam, and Zahid Sardar, alongside former district BNP president MA Salam, freedom fighter Mujaffar Rahman Alam, and Jamaat-e-Islami district leaders Maulana Rezaul Karim and Sheikh Muhammad Yunus.
Bagerhat had previously been represented by four parliamentary constituencies. However, on July 30, the Election Commission released a draft proposal to reduce the number to three. Despite protests, the commission published the final gazette on September 4, confirming the reduction and altering constituency boundaries. BNP and Jamaat leaders have condemned the move as “undemocratic,” accusing the Election Commission of disregarding public opinion.
