Residents of Pabahati in Jhenaidah municipality blocked a key road on Thursday demanding justice for murder of three-and-a-half-year-old Saima Akter Saba.
The child’s family and neighbours began the blockade around noon, placing tree logs across the Jhenaidah Central Bus Terminal–Arappur road near the Pabahati Eidgah.
The protest brought traffic to a standstill, causing severe suffering for passengers travelling between the northern region and Jashore, Khulna, Gopalganj, Rangpur and Rajshahi.
By the time this report was filed on Thursday afternoon, police had not yet been able to clear the demonstrators from the highway.
Speaking from the protest site, Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station, said police had already detained a suspect linked to the child’s killing and sent the body for post-mortem examination overnight.
“We are treating the incident with utmost seriousness. Even then, the victim’s family members have blocked the road. As a result, travellers are facing temporary hardship. We will remove the protesters as soon as possible,” he said.
Stranded passengers expressed anger and distress as the blockade stretched on. Raju Ahmed, a truck driver carrying fertiliser from Jashore to Rangpur, said he had been stuck for an hour.
“If I cannot reach on time, I’ll have to face punishment from the owner,” he said.
Another stranded traveller, Piyuli Begum, was heading from Narail to Rangpur via Gopalganj on a BRTC bus to attend her father-in-law’s funeral.
“They want justice for the murder, which is understandable, but why harass thousands by blocking the highway,” she said.
Bus driver Nur Islam said his scheduled arrival was at 7pm but the delay had already exceeded an hour and a half. “Passengers are complaining, and I also have to answer to the authorities,” he said.
Police recovered Saima’s body from the house of their neighbour, Akhtaruzzaman Masud, in the Pabahati Eidgah area on Wednesday night.
Officers later detained his wife, Shantana Khatun, 32, in connection with the killing.
Saima’s relatives and villagers blocked the road calling for the accused to be sentenced to death through a speedy trial tribunal.
The body of the deceased is still in police custody and will be handed over to the family members after which legal process will follow, the OC informed.
