Traffic resumes at Shahbagh after 33-hour blockade

Traffic at Shahbagh returned to normal Friday evening (August 1) after a 33-hour blockade by protesters demanding the July Declaration and July Charter.

The blockade began at 9:30am Thursday, led by a group identifying themselves as "July Fighters Unity," composed of individuals injured in the July Uprising. They obstructed the intersection using police barricades, severely disrupting traffic and causing widespread public inconvenience.

Tensions escalated around 6:30pm Friday when another faction claiming to represent the original July Uprising participants arrived at the scene, accusing the blockaders of dishonoring the movement. A verbal confrontation ensued, during which the opposing group dismantled the protesters’ temporary stage.

Police quickly intervened to prevent violence between the two sides.

Speaking to the media, DMP Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Md Masud Alam stated, “We tried to peacefully negotiate with the blockaders throughout the day. In the evening, a different group claiming to represent the original July fighters demanded an end to the blockade. When tensions flared, we stepped in to prevent clashes.”

Authorities confirmed that normal traffic resumed in Shahbagh around 7:00pm following police intervention.