Awami League activists blockaded Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for over two hours today protesting the arrest of a local ruling party leader.

Detectives arrested Mahtab Uddin, member of district AL unit and former chairman of Sreepur upazila, along with 200 pieces of Yaba in Channapara area around 2:30am, Md Amir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Detective Branch of police said.

Mahtab controls local drug business, our Gazipur correspondent quoting the OC.

Hearing the news, his supporters blockaded the highway and set tyres alight on the road at Maona Chowrasta point at 5:00am, halting traffic movement.

They freed the highway around 7:30am, said Sreepur Police Station OC Asaduzzaman.

However, general secretary of Sreepur Upazila Tanti League Zahidul Islam said detectives picked Mahtab on false charges.