Dhaka, Sept 18: Demonstrations in Bangladesh’s Bagerhat district entered their third consecutive day on Thursday, as protesters besieged the local election office demanding the reinstatement of the district’s previous four constituencies.
Organized under the banner of the Sorbodolio Sommilito Committee (All-Party Joint Committee), demonstrators set up tents and staged a sit-in outside the election office from morning. Small processions from nearby areas joined the protest throughout the day, local media reported.
Leaders assured that no hartal or blockade would be announced before the Durga Puja festival, but confirmed the sit-in would continue until their demands were met. “We have submitted a petition to the High Court, which has issued an initial 10-day order. We will continue our movement until our demand is fulfilled. If necessary, we are ready to escalate with non-cooperation programs,” said MA Salam, co-convenor of the committee and president of Bagerhat district BNP, as quoted by UNB.
The protests erupted after the Election Commission (EC) issued a gazette notification on September 4, redrawing the boundaries of 46 constituencies nationwide. Under the changes, Bagerhat’s constituencies were reduced from four to three. Since then, locals have staged blockades, sit-ins, and processions demanding restoration of the original four seats.
On Tuesday, the High Court issued a rule questioning why Bagerhat’s parliamentary constituencies should not remain four, and why the EC’s notification reducing them to three should not be declared illegal. The EC and relevant authorities were asked to respond within ten days, according to The Business Standard.
Similar protests have spread across the country. In Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila, residents enforced a three-day road and rail blockade, while Pabna’s Bera upazila saw a dawn-to-dusk protest, blocking both road and river routes.
Bangladesh has remained politically unstable since last year’s ouster of the Awami League government amid violent unrest.
