Cumilla, Aug. 27 -- Locals on Wednesday morning staged demonstrations and blocked several points of the busy Cumilla-Sylhet Highway demanding its immediate repairs and long-awaited plan to upgrade the route into a four-lane one.

The protest began at 10am and continued for an hour, stretching from Moynamoti to Kangshanagar with roadblocks at nine separate locations.

Vehicular movement came to a halt during the demonstration, creating long traffic tailbacks on both sides of the highway.

Traffic on the route resumed after protesters withdrew their blockade upon assurances from the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and the district police.

Protesters alleged that although the proposal to expand the highway into four lanes has been pendi...