An indefinite road blockade has resumed in Sajek for a second time after two local organisations accused the administration of failing to fulfil three demands within a 48-hour deadline. The blockade began on Thursday morning, 15 October, halting traffic along the Sajek–Dighinala road and disrupting movement between Sajek, Baghaichhari and Dighinala.
The programme has been called by the Sajek Karbari Association and the Gan Adhikar Rakkha Committee. Local residents said protesters had gathered at several points along the road, including Gangaram Uchha Bazar, where they were staging pickets. Tree trunks had been placed across the road and tyres set alight to prevent vehicles from passing.
As a result, all types of vehicles travelling from Sajek and Baghaichhari towards Dighinala were unable to use the route. The duration of the disruption remains uncertain, as the organisers have announced an indefinite blockade.
Three demands remain unresolved
The renewed blockade follows the failure, according to the two organisations, to implement three demands within the timeframe given to the administration. Leaders of the groups announced the decision in a joint statement sent to the media on Wednesday, 14 October.
The statement was signed by Babudhan Chakma, convener of the Sajek Gan Adhikar Rakkha Committee, and Nutun Joy Chakma, president of the Sajek Karbari Association.
According to the statement, the organisations first staged a blockade on the Sajek tourist road on 11 October. One of their principal demands was the removal of armed members of the Santuchakma-led faction of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) from various locations in the Machalong area of Sajek.
The organisations said they had suspended the indefinite blockade after the administration assured them that their demands would be addressed within 48 hours. However, they alleged that no satisfactory action had been taken by the end of the agreed period, prompting them to resume the protest.
The full details of all three demands were not provided in the available report. Nor was there any detailed account of the administration’s response to the latest announcement.
Tourist centre remains closed
The road blockade comes amid a separate restriction on tourism in Sajek. The district administration announced the indefinite closure of the tourist destination from 12 October. According to the report, no tourists are currently staying in the area.
Situated in the hill district of Rangamati, Sajek is one of Bangladesh’s best-known tourist destinations. Its mountain scenery, rolling hills and views of clouds drifting across the landscape attract visitors from different parts of the country. Access to the destination depends on road transport, making disruption along the Sajek–Dighinala route a significant obstacle to travel.
The closure of the tourist centre, combined with the renewed blockade, has left the resumption of normal tourism uncertain. The disruption also affects road users travelling between Sajek, Baghaichhari and Dighinala, although the available report does not quantify the number of people affected.
No timetable has been announced for the withdrawal of the blockade. It also remains unclear whether further discussions between the administration and the protesting organisations will take place.
The immediate situation will depend on whether progress can be made towards addressing the groups’ demands and restoring movement along the road. Until then, transport disruption is expected to remain a concern for residents and other road users, while prospective visitors face uncertainty over when Sajek’s tourist facilities will reopen.
