A six-hour blockade was enforced in Khagrachhari today, in protest against the rape of a class-eight student.
Due to the blockade from 6:00am to 12:00pm, vehicular movement remained suspended on the Dhaka-Khagrachhari, Chattogram-Khagrachhari, Khagrachhari-Rangamati, and Khagrachhari-Sajek routes.
In support of the blockade, protesters set fire to tyres and placed tree trunks on roads at various points across the district.
The blockade was announced yesterday at a protest rally under the banner of "Jumma Chhatra-Janata," demanding the immediate arrest and trial of those involved in the rape and measures to ensure women's safety.
With long-haul vehicles off the roads during the blockade, only a handful of small vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, were in operation, leaving commuters to suffer greatly in reaching their destinations.
Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station OC Abdul Baten Mridha said only a few tyres were burned on the roads, but no other untoward incidents occurred. He added that police remain on high alert.
On the night of September 23, the girl was raped in Khagrachhari Sadar while returning home after private tuition. Her father filed a case the next morning with Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station against three unidentified men.
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