Residents lifted a four-hour blockade of roads and railway lines in Brahmanbaria on Sunday after receiving assurances from a local BNP leader over their demands to restore six villages to Basudeb Union and oppose the proposed formation of a new upazila.
The protesters called off the blockade around 11am after Sirajul Islam Siraj, general secretary of the district BNP and administrator of the district council, arrived at the scene and assured them that their demands would be addressed.
However, they warned that they would resume the blockade if their demands were not met within 72 hours.
The demonstration began at 7am in the Kodda area of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila, where residents blocked the Dhaka-Agartala highway and the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet railway lines.
The blockade brought road traffic to a standstill in both directions and left at least seven intercity trains stranded at different stations, causing hardship for thousands of passengers.
Jahangir Alam Bhuiyan Nayan, president of Basudeb Union BNP, said several villages had recently been separated from Basudeb Union to form a new union named Barisal.
He alleged that residents of the affected villages, including Basudeb, Kodda, Chandi and Korabaria, were not consulted before the decision was made.
He also alleged that the new union was formed under the influence of district BNP leader Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan, whose father, Fazlur Rahman Bhuiyan, was appointed its administrator.
According to Jahangir, there are also plans to form a new upazila, also named Barishal, comprising several unions from Brahmanbaria Sadar and Bijoynagar upazilas.
The protesters are demanding that the separated villages be brought back under Basudeb Union and opposing the proposed upazila.
Dulal Mia, a resident of Chandi village, alleged that Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan was driving the initiatives by using the influence of his brother, Abdur Rahman Sunny, who serves as assistant private secretary-2 to the prime minister.
No comments could be obtained from the individuals named in the allegations.
Sirajul Islam Siraj arrived at the protest site around 10:30am. Following his assurances, the protesters withdrew the blockade at around 11am, allowing road and rail services to resume.
The protesters reiterated that they would block both roads and railway lines again if their demands were not met within 72 hours.
