Over 500 residents have been left stranded after a local tea shop owner, Shahjahan Mia, blocked a key village road in Maddha Kumetpur under Ballamjhar Union of Gaibandha Sadar.
চা না খাওয়ায় রাস্তা বন্ধ করে দিলেন দোকানী
#ChaaConflict #RoadBlocked #ShopkeeperProtest #TrafficDisruption…
Posted by Times of Bangladesh on Thursday 30 October 2025
According to locals, the dispute arose after some villagers chose to drink tea at a shop other than Shahjahan’s, angering Shahjahan Mia. Villagers have called for immediate restoration of the road and legal action against the shop owner.
The blockade has disrupted daily life, forcing students and pedestrians to use risky bypasses along unsafe makeshift routes.
The incident occurred on Monday morning (25 October) when Shahjahan Mia allegedly dug trenches and placed bamboo sticks and barbed barriers across the road. He blocked not only the portion of the road passing through his own land but also a section on an adjacent property, leaving villagers facing serious disruption and hardship.
Villagers now have to leave vehicles behind and walk along the edges of the dug-up road, while some carry bicycles on their shoulders to cross the trenches. Schoolchildren are reportedly facing particular difficulty navigating the hazards.
Shahjahan Mia allegedly dug trenches across the road. Photo: TimesZulfikar Rahman, chairman of Ballamjhar Union Parishad, told reporters, “We are aware of the situation. Shahjahan Mia has been summoned to the Union Parishad office. We hope the issue will be resolved promptly.”
However, Shahjahan Mia fled the scene following the incident, and police are currently searching for him.
Although some of the bamboo poles and branches used to block the road have been removed, the trenches he dug still remain, continuing to disrupt movement in the area.
