At least 30 government institutions and educational establishments, including Betagi Upazila Parishad building, were found locked in Barguna early Tuesday.
A truck belonging to the Betagi Municipality office that had been parked nearby was also set on fire around the same time.
Several leaflets bearing the image of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina were found attached to the locked gates.
Locals suspected that activists of the banned organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) had locked the gates and placed the leaflets there.
The affected institutions included Bibichini School and College, Putiakhali Adarsha Secondary School, Hosnabad Adarsha Secondary School, Hosnabad Union Parishad, Mokamia Union Parishad, Mokamia Secondary School, Kaunia Emdadia Secondary School and Jamir Uddin Secondary School.
Posters featuring Sifat Sikder, general secretary of Betagi Upazila Chhatra League, were put up on the locked premises.
Activists also blocked the Barguna–Barisal regional highway by placing tree trunks across Chandkhali Bypass Road.
The operation extended to other upazilas, with activists locking Patharghata Government College and Ramna Sher-e-Bangla Adarsha Secondary School in Bamna.
