Half-Day Blockade in Rangamati over Sajek Clash, Traffic on Khagrachhari Road Completely Halted

A half-day blockade is under way in Rangamati in protest at a clash between law enforcement personnel and blockaders at Sajek's Ujo Bazar in Baghaichhari. Because of the blockade, which began on Saturday morning, 24 October, traffic on the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road has come to a complete halt.

Called by the Chhatra-Janata Sangram Parishad, the blockade that began in the morning is scheduled to continue until 12 noon. Although the blockade has affected road communications in the hill district, not all routes have closed at once.

Long-distance vehicles are running on the Rangamati-Chattogram road. Traffic on Rangamati town's internal roads is also normal, and shops are reported to be open.

Launch services from the district town to various upazilas are also running normally. So although travellers are suffering on the roads, the waterway alternative remains open.

In the morning, at Kutukchhari on the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road, blockaders were seen felling tree trunks onto the road and setting them on fire in the Sapchhari Khamarpara and Kutukchhari Dharmaghar areas. That scene of a blocked road explains why traffic on that route is shut.

Blockaders also held a protest march from Kutukchhari Half Bazar to Dharmaghar. The march and the road blockade ran together throughout the morning.

Md Yusuf, assistant general secretary of the Rangamati-Chattogram Bus-Minibus Workers' Union, said, "Although traffic on the Rangamati-Chattogram route is normal, bus services on the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road are completely stopped because of the blockade." The transport workers' statement makes the contrasting picture of the two roads clear.

Fijirikki Chakma, a resident of the Sapchhari area, said, "Vehicles have not been running on the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road since morning. I had planned to go to Rangamati Bazar for important work, but I could not go because I found no vehicle." The statement is an example of the blockade's direct impact on ordinary people's daily work.

Biswajit Dey, lineman at the Reserve Bazar launch terminal of the Rangamati Launch Owners' Association, said, "Launches have been running since morning. Launches are going to various upazilas." Waterway passengers are thus getting some relief from the road deadlock.

Ushatan Chakma, president of the Chhatra-Janata Sangram Parishad, said they are trying their best to observe the blockade programme peacefully. However, he alleged that law enforcement personnel are obstructing them during picketing in various areas.

On the other hand, Inspector (Investigation) Md Mokhlesur Rahman of Rangamati Kotwali Police Station said, "So far no untoward incident has taken place anywhere over the blockade. The overall situation is normal." In the police's account, the situation remains under control.

Meanwhile, the Sajek Gana Adhikar Rakkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association are observing a blockade for the third consecutive day at various points on the Sajek road. The programme has been running since 6am at places including the Sajek-Baghaihat road, the No. 10 area and 14 Kilo. Tofazzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sajek Police Station, said, "The blockade continues and vehicle movement is stopped. In this situation, patrols by the army and police have been strengthened." Attention is now on whether traffic on the Rangamati-Khagrachhari road returns to normal after the half-day blockade ends at noon, and on which direction Sajek's continuing blockade takes.