Hungry locals block road demanding relief in Gopalganj

People blocked the Dhaka-Barishal Highway in Muksudpur upazila on Tuesday demanding relief materials amid the ongoing general holidays to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Residents of Dignagar, Morolpara, Karikorpara and Hindupara blocked the road at Rathkhola from 9am to 12pm halting movement of vehicles, witnesses said.

Protesters said around 800 families in the upazila have been unable to earn a living since March 26 because of the holidays.

They said hunger forced them to come out on the road. "We don't have anything to eat and we didn't receive any food aid from anywhere," one of them said.

UP Chairman Md Ali said the protesters withdrew the blockade after he along with ABM Masudur Rahman, Awami League president of Dignagar union unit and former chairman Jahidul Islam went to the spot and assured them of providing relief shortly.

A huge number of people under the poverty line have been hit the hardest during the government announced general holidays.

Meanwhile, seven more people died from coronavirus in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours till Tuesday, taking the death toll in the country to 46.