The 18-party alliance activists put blockade on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong at several phases, causing long tailback on both sides of the highway since early hours yesterday.
Due to the tailback, the commuters of different routes to and from the city suffered much, said police and local sources.
Protesting the arrest of five BNP leaders on Friday night in Dhaka, the opposition activists went on rampage on the highway at 15-20 points in Sitakunda from 10pm on Friday, leaving vehicular movement suspended on the highway.
Police and protesters locked into clashes at sadar upazila, Kumira, Sultana Mondir, Kadamrasul, Bara Awlia, Fakirhat, Bypass, Barabkunda and some other places while the protesters were on rampage.
The protesters set fire on seven vehicles on the highway and vandalised more than a hundred, locals said.
Sub-Inspector Shah Alam of Sitakunda police station told the Dhaka Tribune that police had brought the situation under control, while two policemen were injured in the clashes.
Because of the incident, a long tailback occurred on about 30kms of the highway, said Syed Zakir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Baro Awlia police outpost.
Abdul Latif, a commuter, said he started his journey from Feni to the port city with his private car around 5pm on Friday and he arrived at the city yesterday around 11am.
Sazzad Hossain, a job-seeker, coming from Dhaka to the port city, said he got on the bus around 9:30pm on Friday and he managed to come in the city yesterday afternoon. He had to change vehicles for several times as many vehicles changed their directions to avert the tailback, he added.
Meanwhile, some inter-district buses postponed all their schedules for yesterday due to the tailback and rampage on the highway.
Mohammad Milon, counter in-charge of Sohag inter-district Bus service in the city’s Dampara counter, told the Dhaka Tribune that a total of 30 buses were trapped on the highway due to the tailback so they were compelled to put off their yesterday’s schedule.
OC SM Badiujjaman of Sitakunda police station said the highway was made clear around 5pm yesterday.