A Correspondent:
Khagrachhari: A dawn-to-dusk road blockade in Khagrachhari district in protest against the alleged gang rape of a schoolgirl and the oppression of hill women was held yesterday at the district town.
Vehicular movement came to a halt due to the blockade enforced by protesters under the banner of Jumma Chhatra-Janata.
Witnesses said supporters of the blockade have been picketing throughout the district.
Protesters have set tires on fire and placed tree branches on the roads to obstruct traffic in different areas in the district town including Chingiskar, Jiromail, Balpai, and Adam, as well as on the Khagrachhari-Chattogram, Panchhari, Dighinala, and Mahalchhari roads.
The suspension in vehicular movement caused suffering to people, particularly tourists visiting the area.
However, no untoward incidents have been reported so far.
Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Baten Mridha said they are working to re-move the barricades and restore normalcy.
Additional police have been deployed at key locations and security measures across the district have been strengthened.
A Marma schoolgirl on the evening of September 23 was gang raped while returning from private tui-tion.
The victim’s father filed a case with Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station naming three unknown people as suspects.
OC Abdul Baten said a suspect, Shoyon Shil, was arrested with the assistance of the army and a court put him on remand.
