Madaripur, Dec 08 (V7N) – Supporters of Kamal Zaman Molla staged a torchlight procession and blockade on the Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway in Shibchar on Saturday, demanding that his nomination for the Madaripur-1 (Shibchar) parliamentary seat be reinstated.

The demonstration began around 5:30 p.m. on December 6 and continued until about 12:30 a.m. at the Molla Bazar area of Shibchar. Traffic on both sides of the expressway remained completely halted for hours, causing severe distress to hundreds of commuters stranded along the route.

According to party sources, the BNP announced 237 candidates on November 3, initially nominating Kamal Zaman Molla for Madaripur-1. However, the nomination was suspended the following day citing “unavoidable reasons,” triggering intense grievances among grassroots BNP activists in Shibchar. The situation escalated further after the BNP high command announced a new list of candidates for 36 constituencies on December 4, nominating Nadira Mithu Chowdhury—wife of late Nazmul Huda Chowdhury, former president of Shibchar BNP, and a joint convener of the Shibchar BNP—for the seat.

In protest, supporters of Kamal Zaman Molla organized Saturday’s torch procession demanding that his nomination be restored. Witnesses said long lines of vehicles formed on both sides of the expressway, with passengers waiting for hours without any clear information on when traffic would resume.

Leaders participating in the protest issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the BNP’s central executive committee, warning that if Kamal Zaman Molla’s nomination is not reinstated within that timeframe, they will enforce a complete shutdown of the major highway that serves as the gateway to the southern region. They claimed that Molla enjoys overwhelming public support and could secure a decisive victory for the BNP if nominated, adding that there is “no alternative” to him in the Madaripur-1 constituency.

At the time this report was filed, the torch procession and blockade were still ongoing, with local BNP activists vowing to continue their movement until their demands are met.

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