Tourists stuck as two organisations demand action against PCJSS

An indefinite road blockade in Rangamati’s Baghaichhari upazila has stranded tourists in Sajek Valley since 6:00am today.The Sajek Karbari Association and the Sajek Gono Odhikar Rokkha Committee enforced the blockade, placing tree trunks across several points on the Sajek-Dighinala road, including Point 10, Retkaba and Ujobazar.Babudhan Chakma, convener of the Gono Odhikar Rokkha Committee, said vehicles carrying patients, media personnel, medicine and emergency service providers would be exempt.Motijoy Tripura, joint general secretary of the Sajek Resort-Cottage Owners Association, said tourist vehicles could not leave the area in the morning. Around 100 vehicles carrying tourists entered Sajek under army escort yesterday, and the number of visitors could exceed 500, he added.Sajek Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tofazzal Hossain said the situation had remained normal and police were working alongside the army.

In a joint statement yesterday, the two organisations said they called the blockade after the administration failed to act on their demand to address alleged armed activities and threats by the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).

Sajib Chakma, assistant information and publicity secretary of the PCJSS, rejected the demand, alleging that the blockade was part of a conspiracy against the organisation.Angya Marma, spokesperson for the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), said his organisation had no involvement with the two groups enforced the blockade, although they shared a demand to end factional conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.