Local students and public blocked the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway in Patiya today (21 September) in protest against police allegedly baton-charging dismissed Islami Bank officials and employees in Dhaka.
The blockade brought traffic on the highway to an almost complete halt, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides and causing long tailbacks.
The protesters took position on the highway near the Patiya Bypass Model Mosque area at around 1pm and continued the blockade for nearly two hours.
They left the highway after around two hours, following which traffic resumed, though it took some time for congestion to clear.
During the protest, demonstrators chanted various slogans and demanded the reinstatement of the dismissed Islami Bank officials and employees.
They warned that tougher programmes, including measures to bring Chattogram to a standstill, would be announced from Tuesday if their demands were not met.
Patiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Farhanur Rahman and police from Patiya Police Station went to the spot after being informed of the blockade and urged the protesters to clear the highway.
“We persuaded the protesters to leave the highway. Traffic movement resumed afterwards,” said Patiya police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Ziaul Haque.
The blockade disrupted the movement of long-distance buses and other vehicles, causing significant inconvenience to passengers and transport workers.
Although traffic resumed after the blockade was withdrawn, the long queues of vehicles took some time to return to normal.
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