Agitated locals blocked the Dhaka-Barisal highway yesterday, protesting the gambling and indecent Jatra shows organised by a local Jubo League leader.
Locals put the blockade by placing logs on the highway at Kashipur-Goriarpar point under Barisal Airport police station, starting right after the Jumma prayers and continuing till 3pm, creating long tail backs.
Abul Kalam Molla, president of Muktijoddha Projonmo League Barisal unit and a local resident said at the behest of Kazi Russel, a city Jubo League leader, a group of miscreants have been arranging gambling games such as housie and obscene cultural shows in the name of Jatra for a long time.
These unethical activities are leading the locals to lose moral values, getting them involved in criminal activities and causing the law and order of the city and adjacent areas to deteriorate, he observed.
Moreover, peaceful protests by the locals by forming human chains, holding rallies etc, has failed to make the administration take notice and stop the criminal activities, he added.
Shaheduzzaman, officer-in-charge of Airport police station, said police rushed to the spot and talked to the protesting people. Finally, they managed to remove the obstacles and have the traffic resume movement on the highway after 3pm by assuring the locals that their demands would be placed before the higher officials.