Rumeen Farhana, newly elected independent MP from Brahmanbaria-2 and a former BNP leader, was allegedly obstructed from paying tribute at the Shaheed Minar in Sarail, Brahmanbaria, early Friday.
According to local sources, BNP leaders and activists prevented her from placing floral tributes at the memorial, forcing her to leave the area without paying homage to the Language Movement martyrs.
Following the incident, around 12:30am, her supporters blocked the Dhaka–Sylhet highway in Shahbazpur under Sarail upazila by setting fire to tree trunks and bamboo. The blockade created a traffic jam stretching nearly 10 kilometres on both sides of the highway. Police later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control.
During the blockade, her supporters alleged that a group led by former Sarail upazila BNP general secretary Anwar Hossain Master brought out a procession and created chaos at the Shaheed Minar premises, preventing the MP from paying tribute.
Speaking to reporters at her village home in Shahbazpur, Rumeen Farhana claimed that a “planned attempt” had been made to attack her.
Alleging that the incident was motivated by political rivalry following the election, she warned that failure to control party activists at the grassroots level could lead to serious consequences. She also said preparations were underway to file a case over the incident.
Sarail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manjur Quader Bhuiyan said legal action would be taken and those responsible would be brought to justice.
Additional police have been deployed in the area amid heightened tension.
