The ongoing blockade in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur over parliamentary seat demarcation has been temporarily suspended until Saturday (September 20), following assurances from the district administration.
The announcement was made by the ‘Sarbadaliya Oikya Parishad, which also issued a four-day ultimatum, warning of tougher programmes would be launched next Sunday if their demands are not met.
The decision to suspend the protests was confirmed around 2pm on Tuesday by Md Palash Mia, a resident of Algi Union and a representative of the All-Party Unity Council.
The announcement has brought temporary relief to public transport passengers and drivers who had been affected by the demonstrations.
“We made this decision after consulting with everyone. We’ll wait until Sunday. If the issue is not resolved by then, we’ll launch tougher programmes. We will not back down until our demands are met,” Palash said.
Earlier at around 1:30pm, District BNP President Advocate Syed Modarres Ali Isha officially announced the suspension of the protest at a gathering near Bhanga Eidgah Mosque. Leaders and activists from Upazila BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Khelafat Majlish were present.
At the event, Syed Modarres Ali Isha described recent violence as “part of a conspiracy,” alleging, “Those who oppose national elections are trying to exploit the situation. Awami League-backed terrorists, under the direction of Nixon and Qazi Zafar Ullah, carried out these destructive attacks.”
He urged law enforcers to take legal action against the perpetrators.
Tuesday marked the final day of a pre-declared three-day programme. Protesters blocked the Dhaka-Barisal highway in the morning by placing electric poles and tree trunks, disrupting traffic for about an hour. The road was cleared around 9:30am, restoring normalcy. Heavy deployments of security forces, including army, BGB, RAB, and police, were seen patrolling various locations.
At around 8:30am, protesters set up a blockade near the Hamirdi Bus Stand using trees and electric poles but later removed them through mutual understanding. Despite the suspension, local residents expressed anger and frustration.
At the time, local residents reiterated their commitment to continue the movement with a renewed five-point demand. Alongside the reinstatement of the two unions, they demanded the unconditional release of the Algi Union chairman, withdrawal of all filed cases, an end to nighttime harassment by law enforcers, and a halt to any further legal action against protesters.
The unrest began after a gazette issued by the Election Commission on September 4, which redrew the boundaries of the Faridpur-4 parliamentary constituency. The redistricting moved Algi and Hamirdi unions from Faridpur-4 to Faridpur-2, sparking widespread protests. Highways in Bhanga were first blocked on September 5, followed by further blockades on highways and the Dhaka-Khulna railway line on September 9 and 10.
On September 13, the Sarbadaliya Oikya Parishad announced a fresh three-day programme from September 14–16. That same night, DB police arrested Algi UP Chairman and chief coordinator of the protest committee, MM Siddique Mia. He was later shown arrested under the Speedy Trial Act, with a case naming 90 individuals and another 150 unidentified persons.
On Sunday, the protest intensified with both road and railway blockades. By Monday afternoon, the situation turned violent as thousands stormed and vandalised government offices, including the Bhanga police station, upazila office, election office, and highway police station.
Later that night, senior officials including DIG Rezaul Karim Mallik of the Dhaka Range visited the area. The DIG termed the attackers “fascists” and ordered their immediate arrest. Meanwhile, Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan Molla confirmed that he has sent a letter to the Election Commission requesting reconsideration of the redistricting decision.
Following these developments, the Sarbadaliya Oikya Parishad announced a suspension of the blockade.
Speaking to the media, DC Kamrul Hasan said, “The demands of Bhanga residents have been conveyed to higher authorities. A hearing on the matter is scheduled in court on September 21. Until then, I urge everyone to remain patient. We are also assessing the damages caused by the recent violence.”
Meanwhile, 24 hours after Monday’s attacks, no legal case had been filed.
When asked, Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Shamsul Azam said that the filing of the case is currently under process.
