Strike in Fatikchhari North Over District Headquarters Location: Dhaka-Chittagong-Khagrachhari Highway Paralyzed

​Jahangir Alam Staff Reporter ​A day-long strike (dawn-to-dusk hartal) is being observed today in the northern region of Fatikchhari, Chittagong, demanding the relocation of the newly formed Fatikchhari North Upazila headquarters to a "logical and central location." ​The strike, enforced by protesters through road blockades and picketing, has completely halted vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Chittagong-Khagrachhari regional highway. As a result, hundreds of vehicles have been stranded at various points along the highway, causing immense suffering to thousands of commuters. ​From Thursday (July 16) dawn, protesters carrying sticks took positions at key points of the regional highway, including Narayanhat, Datmara, and Baganbazar. They blocked the roads by burning tires and placing large logs across the tarmac. The demonstrators were also seen holding continuous protest rallies and picketing throughout the morning. ​According to the protest coordinators, the headquarters of the newly established upazila must be situated in a geographically centralized location. This would ensure that residents from all six constituent unions have equal access and can easily avail themselves of government services. ​Expressing deep frustration, a local resident leading the protest stated: ​"The location currently announced for the headquarters is completely biased toward one corner. If the administrative offices are set up there, the majority of the upazila's population will face severe hardships, wasting both extra time and money on travel. We have long been holding human chains, press conferences, and submitting memoranda. However, since the administration turned a deaf ear to our demands, we were forced to take to the streets." ​Meanwhile, the suspension of long-distance buses, freight trucks, and local transport due to the strike has brought the entire region to a standstill. The disruption has hit emergency commuters the hardest, as direct communication between Khagrachhari and Chittagong remains completely severed. ​To prevent any untoward incidents or violence, additional police and law enforcement personnel have been deployed at key intersections of the upazila and along the highway. According to the latest reports, a tense situation prevails in the area, though no major clashes or violence have been reported so far.