Bhanga's Blockade-Announcing Chairman Siddique Arrested!

 Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Faridpur Correspondent:

M. M. Siddique Mia, the Chairman of Algi Union and the chief coordinator of the three-day blockade in Bhanga, Faridpur, has been arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.

According to family sources, he was arrested from his sister's house in Dahisara, Nagarkanda, on Saturday late at night (September 13).

Police sources say that the administration has taken extensive preparations to ensure the safety and movement of the public and to normalize traffic on the highway. Law enforcement patrols on the highway have been strengthened since last night, and three armored personnel carriers (APCs) and a water cannon have also been deployed.

Regarding the matter, Ashraf Hossain, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhanga Thana, said that Chairman Siddique Mia of Algi Union was arrested by the DB police late at night and that further details would be provided later.

Meanwhile, as announced in a press conference yesterday, the protesters began their movement this morning. Despite the light rain, a larger crowd of people than on previous days has blocked the highway at a minimum of 12 locations. The railway line is also blocked, and a train has been halted.

It is worth mentioning that the Bangladesh Election Commission published a gazette to reorganize the electoral boundaries of the Faridpur-4 parliamentary constituency. The gazette proposed separating the two large unions of Algi and Hamirdi from Bhanga Upazila and including them in Faridpur-2. After the news spread, people from all walks of life in Bhanga and the two unions began a continuous highway blockade for several days. On Saturday, M. M. Siddique Mia, the chairman of Algi Union and president of the All-Party Unity Council, announced a third phase of the blockade, lasting from morning till evening for three days. The road blockade program is currently underway in Bhanga today.