Sajek Road Blockade: 2,933 Tourists Evacuated Amid Gunfire

A total of 2,933 tourists stranded in Sajek Valley were escorted to safety on Thursday amid exchanges of gunfire between security forces and armed groups during a blockade of the Sajek tourist road in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati.

Members of the Bangladesh Army and police escorted the tourists to their destinations, said Tofazzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sajek Police Station.

The indefinite blockade began at 6am, jointly called by the Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association to press for their three-point demand.

Protesters set fire to tyres at several points along the road, halting vehicle movement between Dighinala in Khagrachhari and Sajek Valley.

Police said a security convoy comprising army and police personnel left Sajek for Baghaihat around 8:30am with the stranded tourists.

When the convoy reached Ujjobazar in Sajek Union around 10:30am, protesters blocked its path.

Security personnel held discussions with the protesters for several hours, urging them to allow the tourists to pass, but the protesters remained firm.

At one stage, army personnel broke through the barricade and arranged for the tourists to reach safety.

During the operation, armed groups positioned in the Ujjobazar area opened fire on security forces, triggering an exchange of gunfire between the two sides.

It was not immediately known whether anyone had been injured or killed in the shooting.

Additional security measures have been taken in the area to bring the situation under control.

Meanwhile, the Rangamati district administration has suspended tourist visits to Sajek from Thursday until further notice, citing the prevailing security situation.

The decision was announced in a public notice signed by Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi on Wednesday night. The notice said the restriction had been imposed due to unavoidable circumstances.

The organisations enforcing the blockade alleged that armed members of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS-Santu group) had established positions in several areas of Sajek, including Machalong, Thalkumbho, Chillyatuli Kuti, Noapara, Lambabak and Bhuiochhari, forcing more than a hundred local residents to leave their homes.

They said the blockade would continue until their three-point demands were met, including the removal of armed members from the area and measures to ensure the safety of local residents.

The organisations had enforced intermittent blockades since October 11 but suspended the programme until October 21 for the Durga Puja celebrations.

The renewed blockade has caused hardship for around 30,000 people from the local Lusai, Tripura, Chakma and Marma communities, disrupting movement and the transportation of essential commodities.

Local farmers have also faced difficulties as transport shortages have prevented them from taking their jhum crops to market.

The Army and police remain on high alert as the administration works to restore normalcy and resolve the situation.