Rangamati, Oct 23 (V7N) – Around 3,000 tourists stranded in Sajek Valley were safely evacuated under security escort on Thursday after a road blockade in Rangamati’s Baghaichhari upazila turned violent, with reports of stone-throwing and an exchange of gunfire involving security personnel and armed groups.
Six members of law enforcement agencies were injured during the clashes, according to police. No tourist fatalities were reported in the available accounts. The exact number of tourists injured, if any, remained unclear.
The incident occurred in the Ujobaazar area of Sajek as Army and police personnel attempted to escort tourists out of the valley and clear road barricades set up by protesters. The blockade had halted traffic on the Sajek-Baghaihat road, disrupting the movement of tourists and local residents.
Rangamati Superintendent of Police Mohammad Abdur Rakib said the Army and police began escorting tourists from Sajek at around 9am to ensure their safe departure. When the convoy reached Ujobaazar around 10am to 11am, protesters blocked its passage.
Security personnel held discussions with the protesters and attempted to persuade them to allow the tourists to proceed. According to police, protesters then threw stones and bricks at security personnel, prompting efforts to disperse the crowd and reopen the road.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate separately alleged that armed members of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) opened fire on security personnel and tourists. It said security forces returned fire in self-defence and to protect the tourists.
The UPDF denied the allegation, describing reports of an exchange of gunfire as false. Its spokesperson, Angya Marma, alleged that security personnel fired in different directions to disrupt what the organisation described as a peaceful blockade. The competing accounts could not be independently verified.
According to reports from the area, the clashes took place around 11am. Security forces eventually cleared the route, allowing the tourist convoy to continue. The situation had largely come under control by early afternoon, although authorities said tensions remained in the area.
Police said six law enforcement personnel were injured by stones and brickbats during the operation. The ISPR said the Army and police coordinated the evacuation of approximately 3,000 stranded tourists, who were escorted safely towards Khagrachhari.
Rangamati Superintendent of Police Mohammad Abdur Rakib addressed a press conference at his office on Thursday afternoon, saying police were preparing a case in connection with the incident. He identified Babu Dhan Chakma, convener of the Sajek Gono Odhikar Rokkha Committee, and Notun Joy Chakma, president of the Sajek Karbari Association, as leaders associated with the blockade. Police said any individual responsibility for the alleged attack would need to be established through investigation.
The blockade was called jointly by the Sajek Gono Odhikar Rokkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association. The organisations said they were demanding the removal of armed members of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS), associated with the Santu Larma faction, from different parts of Sajek and measures to ensure the safety of local residents.
In statements issued before the renewed blockade, the organisers alleged that armed JSS members had threatened and intimidated villagers, forced some residents to leave their homes and prevented farmers from tending their jum fields. They also claimed that residents’ property and livelihoods were at risk. These allegations have not been independently verified.
The UPDF, meanwhile, denied involvement in the blockade and rejected claims that its members had opened fire. The differing statements from the organisations and security authorities have added to uncertainty over the circumstances leading to the violence.
Blockade Resumed After Durga Puja
The road blockade was first enforced on October 11. The organisers later suspended it following assurances from the local administration and briefly resumed the programme on October 15. It was suspended again from October 16 to 21 in observance of Sharadiya Durga Puja.
The two organisations announced an indefinite blockade from Thursday, October 22, saying their demands had not been met. They had urged tourists staying in Sajek to leave before the renewed programme began.
The blockade disrupted traffic along the Sajek-Dighinala route, which connects the hill resort with Khagrachhari. Tourist vehicles were among those affected, leaving visitors unable to leave the area without assistance from security personnel.
The disruption also affected local communities. Reports from the area said movement and the transportation of essential goods had been interrupted, creating difficulties for residents of the Lushai, Tripura, Chakma and Marma communities. Farmers also faced problems transporting their jum crops to markets.
The organisers said emergency vehicles, including ambulances, fire service vehicles, hearses, vehicles carrying emergency medicines and vehicles transporting journalists, would be exempt from the blockade.
Sajek Temporarily Closed to Tourists
Amid growing security concerns, the Rangamati district administration announced the temporary closure of Sajek Valley to tourists from October 22 until further notice.
In a public notice issued on Wednesday evening, Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi said the decision had been taken because of the prevailing security situation. Tourists staying in Sajek were instructed to leave safely by 4pm on Thursday.
Army and police personnel subsequently escorted the stranded visitors out of the valley. The authorities said the operation was aimed at ensuring the tourists’ safety and restoring movement along the road.
The latest violence has renewed concerns about security and access to Sajek, a popular tourist destination in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The continuing dispute over the presence of armed groups and the safety of local residents remains a source of tension in the area.
Police said the investigation would focus on identifying those involved in the clashes and determining responsibility for the alleged attack. The district administration and security forces were continuing efforts to bring the situation under control.
END/AMR/SMA/
