Faridpur Correspondent:

Protesters went on a rampage in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district on Monday opposing the demarcation of Faridpur-4 constituency by the Election Commission.

They vandalised Bhanga Police Station, Upazila Parishad building, highway police outpost, Bhanga municipality building, set local Election Commission office and some vehicles on fire, said witnesses.

The violence erupted around 1 pm when several hundred people equipped with sticks and lethal weapons attacked the police station.

Later, they stormed into the Upazila Parishad office, highway police outpost and the municipality office and carried out vandalism there.

Besides, they also obstructed journalists from capturing footage of the violence.

A chase and counter chase took place, leaving a number of police and journalists injured during the attack.

Sarwar Hossain, My TV’s Bhanga upazila correspondent, was among the injured

Earlier, the protesters blocked Dhaka-Barishal Highway around 11:30 am protesting the redrawing of parliamentary seat.

Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Qamrul Hasan Molla urged local residents to remain calm.

He said that a survey would be conducted and a report will be sent to the Election Commission (EC) in this regard.

“We have been asked to send the report urgently and we hope the issue will be resolved within a day or two,” he said.

Additional police have been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.

The demonstrations follow the Election Commission’s recent gazette which redrew boundaries for 46 parliamentary constituencies ahead of the national election.

According to the gazette, Algi and Hamirdi unions of Bhanga upazila, previously under Faridpur-4, have been attached to Nagar Kanda upazila under Faridpur-2.

Earlier, on Saturday afternoon, Algi UP Chairman MM Siddiq Mia announced a three-day dawn-to-dusk blockade at a press conference under the banner of the ‘All-Party Unity Council of Algi and Hamirdi Unions and Bhanga Upazila’.