Padma Bridge south toll plaza blocked with oars in hand, cocktail blasts spark panic

Leaders and activists of the Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League blocked the south toll plaza of the Padma Bridge in the Naodoba area of Jajira upazila in Shariatpur, observing a strike and protest programme. Several cocktail explosions took place during the protest.

Toll collection stopped, traffic was disrupted and panic spread among ordinary people. The incident took place at around 1am on Tuesday (November 10).

Videos circulating on social media show a large number of activists taking position in front of the south toll plaza at Naodoba with oars in their hands and blocking the road, chanting various slogans.

They stayed there for about an hour, keeping the toll plaza's operations shut. Logs and oars were seen in the activists' hands.

In the videos, the protesters are heard chanting slogans including 'Joy Bangla' and 'Joy Bangabandhu', and slogans in the names of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former deputy minister for water resources and former MP of Shariatpur-2 AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, and former MP of Shariatpur-1 Iqbal Hossain Apu.

Several cocktail explosions were also heard during the programme, but it could not be confirmed immediately who set them off.

At around 1am on Tuesday, videos of the programme spread on several social media accounts, including the Facebook account of Danib Bin Iqbal, son of MP Iqbal Hossain Apu.

The blockade disrupted night traffic, and vehicles heading to cross the bridge were stuck as toll collection remained suspended, leaving ordinary passengers frightened.

Despite repeated calls to learn about the matter, Abdus Salam, officer-in-charge of the Padma Bridge South police station, did not answer the phone.

It was not immediately known whether anyone was injured in the cocktail explosions, and no official statement had been received from law enforcement about the situation.