Unrest continues in Faridpur over EC’s Upazila reassignment decision

Staff Reporter :

Faridpur remains tense for the second day in a row on Tuesday, as protests erupt over the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to transfer two unions from Bhanga upazila to Nagarkanda upazila.

As per a recent gazette notification, Algi and Hamirdi unions—previously under Bhanga upazila (Faridpur-4 constituency)—have now been included in Nagarkanda upazila (Faridpur-2 constituency). This move has triggered strong opposition from locals, who have blocked major roadways, severing connections between Dhaka and 21 districts in the southern region.

Starting at 8 am, demonstrators began felling trees and burning tires to obstruct roads at key locations including the Hamirdi bus stand near the union border and the Shuadi highway stand in Algi Union. By 10 am, the blockade had extended to the Dhaka-Barishal highway, creating massive traffic jams over several kilometers across three highways. Only emergency services such as ambulances are being allowed to pass. “We, the people of Bhanga upazila—comprising 12 unions and a municipality—consider ourselves a single family. We cannot accept the EC’s decision,” said Shamim, one of the protesters.

Sharif, a resident of Algi Union, voiced similar frustration: “We’ve been part of Bhanga for 118 years. Our union is just five kilometers from Bhanga, where KM College is located. The EC’s decision is completely unjustifiable and unacceptable.”

BNP Chairperson’s adviser Zaherul Haque Shahjada Mia also criticized the EC’s move. In a statement, he said a petition had been filed to reassign Bhanga to the Faridpur-5 constituency, its original alignment before the 2014 changes. “I presented my arguments during the hearing. But instead of restoring Bhanga’s earlier status, the EC arbitrarily transferred two unions to Nagarkanda, now under Faridpur-2,” he stated.

Bhanga Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Md Rakibuzzaman said senior law enforcement officials are in discussion with protesters in an attempt to restore normalcy.

As the protest continued into the afternoon, scenes of resilience were visible—demonstrators were seen cooking and sharing khichuri on the road, while others rested under trees to avoid the intense heat.

A tragic incident occurred when 55-year-old Habibur Rahman Hobi from Charakanda village in Algi Union reportedly collapsed and died from heatstroke during the protest. His relative, Abu Said Munshi, also Bhanga upazila BNP’s joint general secretary, said Hobi had joined the protest and fell ill around 9:30 am under the scorching sun. He died while being taken to the Upazila Health Complex.

However, Bhanga Police Station OC Ashraf Hossain offered a different account, stating that Hobi was a shopkeeper and passed away while working at his store—not during the protest.

This wave of unrest follows a similar protest earlier in the week, during which demonstrators blocked roads linking Dhaka to the southern region for nearly seven hours. That blockade was lifted after officials assured protesters of a three-day response window.