Picture: Bangla Tribune
A 72-hour blockade is in effect for the second day across three hill districts due to ongoing conflicts in Rangamati and Khagrachari. Long-distance vehicles remain halted, while battery-operated autorickshaws and motorcycles are moving within Khagrachhari town, but not on inter-district roads.
Md Mizanur Rahman, general secretary of the Rangamati District Autorickshaw Workers’ Union, stated that the strike will continue until fair resolution and compensation are provided for the vandalism of buses, CNGs, and trucks, and the injuries to workers during the Rangamati clash.
The Rangamati Transport Owners’ Association reported that 10 trucks, three buses, and several autorickshaws were damaged, with seven drivers seriously injured. Shops in the town are open, but most outside areas are closed. Hundreds of tourists are stranded in Rangamati’s Sajek due to the blockade.
Security has been intensified with additional police deployment. The blockade was called by the Jumma Student Janata in Dhaka, protesting the violence in Khagrachhari and Rangamati, and is supported by the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF).
