On the third day (Tuesday, September 16) of the three-day blockade protesting the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies in Faridpur’s Bhanga, vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Barishal and Dhaka-Khulna highways remained normal from morning, though the overall atmosphere was tense. Around 9 a.m., some locals attempted to enforce the blockade at Pukhuria, but police quickly dispersed them before they could obstruct the road.
Sub-Inspector Safur Ahmed of the proposed Bhanga Railway Police Station confirmed that train services were running smoothly, with Nokshikantha Commuter and Jahanabad Express departing for Dhaka and Sundarban Express heading for Khulna without any disruption. Bhanga Police Station’s OC Mohammad Ashraf added that law enforcers were deployed to keep the situation under control and to minimize public suffering.
Meanwhile, several demonstrators said they would not return home until their demands were met. Calling the protest a fight for their roots, identity, and existence, they vowed to continue peacefully but firmly. “We are peace-loving people, but we will resist injustice,” they declared, even if it meant spending nights on the highways.
Local sources reported that shops and markets along the highway in Mansurabad, Pukhuria, and Suyadi of Hamirdi and Algi unions remained partially open. Fear and unease prevailed, with many residents spending the night at relatives’ houses in nearby areas instead of their own homes due to security concerns.
The blockade was called after the Election Commission’s gazette notification transferring Algi and Hamirdi unions from Faridpur-4 to Faridpur-2 constituency. Since Sunday, locals have been staging the continuous protest and have vowed to continue until their demands are addressed.