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Workers have blocked roads at several points in Dinajpur demanding the release of Sheikh Badsha, a leader of the Dinajpur Motor Transport Workers’ Union. They have also surrounded Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station and staged demonstrations. As a result, road connectivity between Dinajpur and the rest of the country has been disrupted.
From 7am on Thursday (August 27), protesting workers blocked several entry points to Dinajpur city by placing buses, trucks and other vehicles across the roads. The blockade has disrupted both internal and inter-district road communication, causing significant hardship for commuters and passengers.
The workers blocked the city’s four main entry points—Dinajpur Government College intersection, Maharaja intersection, Phulbari bus stand and Balubadanga intersection—by parking buses, trucks and other vehicles across the roads. Workers were also seen occupying several roads around the city.
Several buses were parked in front of the main gate of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station, obstructing access to the station. More than 400 workers were reportedly demonstrating inside and around the police station premises.
Although a limited number of easy-bikes were operating through the city’s narrow roads, long-distance and inter-district vehicles remained off the roads. As a result, many people were seen walking to their destinations.
The protesting workers at the police station said Sheikh Badsha has been leading the workers’ union for a long time. He was preparing to contest for the post of general secretary in the Motor Transport Workers’ Union election scheduled for September 19.
They alleged that several of his rivals, fearing defeat in the election, pressured police with the help of some BNP activists to have Sheikh Badsha arrested so that he could not participate in the election.
The protesters chanted slogans demanding his immediate release and announced that they would continue the blockade until he was freed.
Meanwhile, ordinary passengers and city residents expressed frustration over the road blockade. Passengers suffering from the disruption said they felt “held hostage by the workers” because roads were being blocked so frequently over various demands.
Dinajpur Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Anwar Hossain said Sheikh Badsha has a case against him and is an accused named in the First Information Report (FIR).
“He has been arrested. His supporters have blocked the roads demanding his release. We are trying to talk to them about the matter,” he said.
Sheikh Badsha is the joint general secretary of the Dinajpur District Motor Transport Workers’ Union and a former leader of the district unit of the now-banned Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik League. Following the July uprising, he resigned from his position in the Sramik League at a press conference.
He had been preparing to contest for the post of general secretary in the triennial election of the Motor Transport Workers’ Union scheduled for September 19. The collection of nomination forms is scheduled for August 27 and 28.
A team of the District Detective Branch (DB) police arrested Sheikh Badsha from the Maharaja Battoli (Rajarhat) area of Dinajpur city at around 9:30pm on Wednesday.
Police said he is an accused named in a case filed on January 21, 2025, over the alleged involvement in activities related to the anti-discrimination movement.
