Awami League Student Wing Blocks Dhaka-Khulna Highway

Members of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League staged a protest by blocking the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Kashiani, Gopalganj, on Monday morning, briefly disrupting traffic along the busy regional route.

The demonstration took place at around 10:15am in front of Sampan Restaurant in Kashiani upazila. Several activists identifying themselves as members of the Kashiani upazila unit of Chhatra League took part in the programme, according to local accounts.

Witnesses said the protesters arrived in a procession and took up positions on the Dhaka-Khulna highway. During the demonstration, they raised a series of slogans against the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami. At one stage, they set tyres on fire on the road, intensifying the disruption and forcing vehicles to slow down or stop temporarily.

The protesters remained on the highway for a short period before leaving the area. Video footage of the demonstration was recorded and later circulated on social media. The blockade caused traffic movement on the important highway to be interrupted for a limited period, although the situation subsequently returned to normal, according to local reports.

The incident comes amid heightened political tensions and increased scrutiny of activities involving organisations that have been prohibited by the authorities. Road blockades and the burning of tyres can quickly create serious public-safety concerns, particularly on major highways where passenger buses, goods vehicles and emergency traffic depend on uninterrupted movement.

The Kashiani police said they were treating the incident seriously. Officer-in-Charge Md Mahfuzur Rahman said a group of individuals identifying themselves as Chhatra League members had suddenly appeared on the road carrying a banner and staged a procession. They later set tyres alight, causing a temporary obstruction to vehicular movement.

Police said legal action would be taken against those involved and that an operation would be conducted to identify and arrest the people responsible.

No major injuries or prolonged traffic congestion were reported in connection with the protest. Authorities are expected to monitor the area closely to prevent any recurrence of road blockades or similar disturbances.