Three-Member Committee Formed to Resolve Sajek Situation, Talks With Protesters Set for Monday

A three-member committee has been formed to resolve the ongoing situation in Sajek. The committee members will sit with the protesters on Monday (26 October) to discuss their demands. Those involved hope the problem will be solved through this process.

The committee was formed on Sunday at an emergency meeting held in the Rangamati deputy commissioner's conference room with headmen and karbaris.

Present at the meeting were Wadud Bhuiyan, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs and member of parliament for Khagrachhari; Dipen Dewan, member of parliament for Rangamati; Rangamati deputy commissioner Nazma Ashrafi; superintendent of police Mohammad Abdur Rakib; representatives of military and civil agencies; and headmen and karbaris of Rangamati.

Answering journalists' questions after the meeting, Wadud Bhuiyan said: 'Since the name of the Karbari Association has come up in connection with the ongoing movement in Sajek, we have sat with the headmen and karbaris. We wanted to sit in talks with the protesters from the very beginning.'

Wadud Bhuiyan said a committee of three headmen and karbaris from Rangamati was formed at the meeting. Headmen and karbaris from Khagrachhari will also be involved in the initiative. The talks with the protesters will be arranged through the mediation of Baghaichhari upazila nirbahi officer Amena Marjan.

Wadud Bhuiyan said the protesters had been called to sit in talks through the media from the first day of the movement, but talks could not begin then. On Saturday, they learned from a statement by the protesters about their interest in sitting in talks. Those involved therefore believe the path to discussion is now open.

Those involved expect the ongoing situation to be resolved quickly through discussion, and that through it the tourist centre of Sajek will open to tourists again.