Protest rally, daylong blockade in Khagrachhari against ‘violence on women’ in CHT

A rally has been held in Khagrachhari protesting the “continued violence” against women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, with demonstrators calling for a dawn-to-dusk road blockade on Saturday. On Friday morning, under the banner of “Jum Chhatra-Janata”, a procession started from Khagrachhari Government College. It continued through Chengi Square, Mahajan Para, Shapla Chattar and Bhanga Bridge before returning to Chengi Square for a rally. Speakers said incidents of sexual violence and rape in the hills persist due to a culture of impunity, allowing perpetrators to repeatedly escape accountability. They added that the turnout at the rally reflected the people’s rejection of such crimes. The movement that began in September last year is still alive, they said. The demonstrators called for...