Traffic has returned to normal on the Faridpur-Khulna highway after being closed for about five hours. From 10 am, the angry crowd blocked the highway by throwing tree stumps at various places covering an area of about 3 km from Chilli Bazaar to Arukandi on the highway.
The angry mob first formed a human chain at the railway gate of the Faridpur-Khulna highway around 9 am on Monday to protest the lynching of two brothers at Panchpalli in Madhukhali, Faridpur. When the police tried to chase them away, they blocked the highway.
After receiving the news, APBN, RAB and BGB came from Faridpur along with the police of Madhukhali police station and worked to control the situation.
Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Ahsan Talukder and Superintendent of Police Mohammad Morshed Alam reached the spot.
At around 2:30 PM, when the first traffic tried to move, the highway was set on fire again in the pepper market. At that time, when the police, APBN and BGB removed tree stumps from the road in Arkandi, the angry people hiding on the slope of the highway started throwing stones. Later the police chased them away. After 3:30 pm, the highway was cleared of tree trunks and burning tires and traffic returned to normal.
Eyewitnesses said that there was a traffic jam for about ten kilometers from 10 am. Police fired tear shells and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. As of the writing of this report, more than 15 people are reported to have been injured. A number of people were injured by shotgun fire. Many policemen were injured in brick pelting. Various forces including additional police and BGB are working to bring the situation under control.
It is learned that a human chain was called at Madhukhali railway gate around 9 am on Monday to protest against the incident of thrashing two brothers to death in Panchapally and arson in the temple. If the crowd gathers there to carry out the program organized under the banner of the local community, the police disperses them. At this time, the gathering divided into several parts and took positions in front of Maleka Eye Hospital, at Majhibari near Kamarkhali Bridge and at Ghopghat in Bagat.
Eyewitnesses said that when the angry protesters wanted to take a stand on the highway, the police stopped them. At that time, the police fired tear gas and shotguns to disperse them. The crowd got angry. After that, they blocked the highway by throwing tree trunks at various places on the highway.
Attempts were made to contact several responsible officers of the police to find out about this, but their statements were not known. Police are working to control the situation.
JB
