Play store
The Rangamati district administration has suspended tourist visits to Sajek Valley in Baghaichhari upazila until further notice, citing unavoidable circumstances.
The closure took effect at 7pm on Wednesday, October 21. Tourists staying in the area have been instructed to leave Sajek by 4pm on Thursday and return safely to their respective destinations.
The decision was announced in an emergency public notice issued by the Rangamati district administration on Wednesday evening and signed by Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi.
The move came after the Sajek Gana Adhikar Rakkha Committee and Sajek Karbari Association announced an indefinite blockade of the Sajek tourist road from Thursday, demanding improved security and the removal of armed members of the JSS Santosh Group from the area.
In a joint statement, the organisations alleged that armed members of the group were still present in different parts of Sajek.
They called for their removal and measures to ensure the safety of local residents. The allegations have not been independently verified.
The organisations had earlier enforced blockades on October 11 and 15, suspending the programmes after receiving assurances from the administration and law enforcement agencies. They later paused their protests from October 16 to 21 for Durga Puja.
On October 15, the district administration lifted an earlier restriction on tourist visits, reopening Sajek after a closure of around five days. The latest blockade announcement has once again disrupted tourism plans and raised concerns over road connectivity.
Matijoy Tripura, joint general secretary of the Sajek Resort Owners Association, said around 3,500 tourists entered the area on Wednesday morning and afternoon during the Durga Puja holidays.
He said resort owners would coordinate with the administration to arrange their safe return, warning that repeated closures could cause significant losses to the local tourism industry.
Faisal Mahmud, publicity secretary of the association, said tourists would be escorted out safely by the army at 8:30am on Thursday. While two escorted convoys are usually arranged, a single army escort was planned for Thursday morning, he added.