A dawn-to-dusk road blockade was observed in Khagrachari district on Saturday, in protest against the alleged gang rape of a schoolgirl and the oppression of hill women.
Vehicular movement came to a halt due to the blockade enforced by protesters under the banner of Jumma Chhatra-Janata.
Witnesses said that supporters of the blockade were picketing throughout the district.
Protesters 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 Khagrachari-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.
Khagrachari Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge Abdul Baten Mridha said that they were working to remove the barricades and restore normalcy.
Additional police were deployed at key locations and security measures across the district had been strengthened.
A Marma schoolgirl on the evening of September 23 was gang raped while returning from private tuition.
The victim鈥檚 father filed a case with Khagrachari Sadar Police Station against three people as suspects.
OC Abdul Baten said a suspect, Shoyon Shil, was arrested with the assistance of the army and a court put a remand on him.
