Small traders of Savar blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway for one hour on Monday in protest against what they said extortion by police.

Around 100 traders, who sell vegetables, fruits and fishes beside the highway at Aminbazar, blockaded the busy highway around 10:30am, halting transport movement, reports our Savar correspondent quoting traffic police inspector Farhad Hossain.

The blockade created heavy traffic jam on 10 kilometres area of the highway stretching from Hemayetpur of Savar to Gabtoli of the capital, the inspector said.

The traders claimed that local police often extort money from them, he said.

The traders withdrew their blockade around 11:30am after a negotiation with Moshiuddula Reza, assistant superintendent of police (Savar circle) and Mostafa Kamal, officer-in-charge of Savar Police Station, Forhad said.