Gazipur: Local people blocked the Dhaka‐Mymensingh Highway on Thursday morning, protesting the arrest of an Awami League leader of Maona in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur.

Police and witnesses said the protesters took position on the busy highway in the morning disrupting traffic for about four hours.

Police said detectives arrested local AL leader and businessman Mahtab Uddin and his one associate along with 200 pieces of Yaba tablets from Maona Keoa early on Thursday.

Hearing about Mahtab’s arrest, local people blockaded the highway and set tyres alight on the road in the morning, halting the traffic movement.

The traffic movement on the highway returned to normalcy after police rushed in and brought the situation under control.