Tourists Unable to Return from Sajek Due to Gunfire

Gunfire in the Sajek Valley of Rangamati has prevented tourists from returning to Khagrachari. On Wednesday (December 4), the district administration issued a travel advisory discouraging visits to Sajek, considering the safety of tourists, following the gunfire incidents earlier in the day.

Rangamati’s Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan, confirmed the situation late Tuesday night (December 3).

Khagrachari jeep driver line manager, Yasin Arafat, mentioned that 25-30 jeeps with about 400 tourists left for Sajek in the morning. However, by midday, 20-25 jeeps had returned from Sajek to Khagrachari. After the gunfire incidents, no tourist vehicles left Sajek for Khagrachari in the afternoon.

Mati Joy Tripura, Joint General Secretary of the Sajek Resort Owners Association, stated that the gunfire occurred in the Shippara area of Ward 7 in Sajek and Machalong, which is located about 20 kilometers away from the tourist area. Due to the gunfire, around 10 tourist vehicles did not leave Sajek in the afternoon, and nearly 500 tourists remained in Sajek overnight.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan mentioned that, considering the safety of tourists amid the gunfire between two regional groups, the district administration has advised against travel to Sajek on Wednesday. A decision regarding future travel will be made based on the situation, and tourists currently in the area will be safely brought back.

Local sources reported that there have been ongoing gunfire incidents between the JSMM led by Santu Larma and the EPDF led by Prasit Khisa in the Sajek and Machalong areas for the past few days. However, there have been no reports of casualties so far.