2,933 tourists evacuated from Sajek amid gunfire over road blockade
Dhaka: A total of 2,933 tourists stranded in Sajek Valley were evacuated under security escort on October 22 as clashes involving gunfire erupted during an indefinite road blockade in Rangamati’s Baghaichhari upazila.
Members of the Bangladesh Army and police escorted the tourists towards safety, said Tofazzal Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Sajek Police Station, speaking to the media.
The evacuation faced a major hurdle when protesters blocked the convoy at Ujjobazar in Sajek Union and threw bricks and stones at it. Some tourists were reportedly injured, although the number could not be confirmed immediately.
The security convoy left Sajek for Baghaihat around 8:30 am. It reached Ujjobazar at about 10:30 am, where protesters refused to withdraw their barricade despite several hours of negotiations with law enforcement personnel.
Army personnel eventually cleared the barricade to facilitate the tourists’ passage. During the operation, armed groups in the area allegedly opened fire on security forces, triggering an exchange of gunfire.
It was not immediately clear whether anyone was killed or injured in the shooting. Additional security measures have since been introduced to bring the situation under control.
The blockade began at 6:00 am on October 22, following a call by the Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association to press home a three-point demand, including the removal of armed members of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) from Sajek and ensuring the safety of local residents.
The protesters set fire to tires at several points along the road, halting vehicle movement between Dighinala in Khagrachhari and Sajek Valley.
The organizations enforcing the blockade alleged that armed members of the PCJSS (Santu group) had established positions in several areas, including Machalong, Thalkumbho, Chillyatuli Kuti, Noapara, Lambabak, and Bhuiochhari. They claimed the presence of the armed members had forced more than a hundred local residents to leave their homes.
The organizations said the blockade would continue until their demands were met.
Meanwhile, the Rangamati district administration has suspended tourist visits to Sajek from October 22 until further notice, citing the prevailing security situation.
The restriction was announced in a public notice signed by Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi on the night of October 21.
However, the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) disputed reports of an exchange of gunfire, describing them as “completely false and fabricated."
In a statement, UPDF spokesperson Angya Marma alleged that security personnel had fired unilaterally to disrupt what he described as a peaceful blockade.
The situation in Sajek remained tense amid heightened security and uncertainty over when road access and tourism activities would resume.
