Sajek Road Blockade Enters Seventh Day, Warning of Tougher Movement if Main Demand Is Not Decided

The blockade of the Sajek road in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati has entered its seventh day. Talks between the government and the protesters on the fifth day of the blockade failed to end the movement because of differences over the implementation of their one-point — main — demand.

The Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee has meanwhile warned that it will launch a tougher movement if the demands are not met. The announcement was made on the organisation's Facebook page.

The Sajek tourist centre remains closed because of the blockade. The Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association called the indefinite blockade in its third phase from 22 October. On Wednesday morning (28 October), blockaders felled tree trunks and set them on fire at several places on the Sajek road.

Local sources said members of the law enforcement agencies are positioned at important points on the road, and traffic remains suspended.

Rangamati Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdur Rakib said, 'The situation in Sajek is under the control of the law enforcement agencies. It will be resolved soon.'

Last Monday (26 October), from 3 pm to 5:45 pm, leaders of the protesting organisations met representatives of the administration at Ujobazar in Sajek union. Khagrachhari MP Wadud Bhuiya, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs, said agreement had been reached on four of the five demands at the meeting.

But no final decision was reached on the main demand — the removal of the armed members of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS-Santu Larma) from the Sajek area. As a result, no path to withdrawing the blockade has opened either.

In a live broadcast on the Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee's Facebook page on Monday night, the organisation's convener Babudhan Chakma said the government could not give a specific assurance on implementing their main demand. According to him, the government first asked for one month to meet the demand, while the protesters were willing to give three days; when the government later asked for time until 5 November, the protesters agreed to wait five more days. But since no firm assurance was given on implementing the main demand, they decided to continue the blockade. He added that they are ready if the government wants to sit for talks again.

The protesters' five demands include punishment of those involved in the attack during the blockade on 22 October and an impartial judicial investigation; compensation for the traders affected at Ujobazar and the withdrawal of army and police members from there; bearing the treatment costs of those injured in the attack; removal of the armed members of the JSS-Santu Larma group from Sajek and measures to stop extortion and oppression; and an end to the arrest and harassment of protesters and to searches of their homes and business establishments.

On Thursday (22 October), the indefinite road blockade called by two local organisations on the Sajek tourist road in Rangamati led to tension, clashes and gunfire involving law enforcement personnel, blockaders and the two organisations. The Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association began their movement on 11 October, demanding the withdrawal of the JSS's armed members from the Sajek area, security for local residents and the implementation of assurances previously given by the administration.

The movement had been suspended from 16 to 21 October for the Durga Puja festival. But as the demands were not met, the two organisations again called an indefinite road blockade from 22 October.

Because of the blockade, 2,933 tourists were stranded in Sajek Valley. On Thursday morning (22 October), the Bangladesh Army and police escorted a convoy of tourist vehicles from Sajek towards Khagrachhari under security. At around 10:30 am that day, when the convoy of tourists and security forces reached the Ujobazar area of Sajek, protesters and picketers blocked the road with barricades and burning tyres. Tension rose after the blockaders refused to clear the way despite long discussions.