Tourists stranded amid shootout in Sajek able to leave

“Some of the tourists who came for a two-day stay are still at Sajek,” an official from the Sajek Resort Owners Association says

The tourists stranded in the Sajek Valley tourist centre in Rangamati’s Baghaichhari due to a shootout have begun to leave the area.

Local Upazila executive officer Shirin Akhter said: “As the law and order situation has normalised, tourists left Sajek for Khagrachhari at 2pm on Wednesday.”

Motijoy Tripura, general secretary of the Sajek Resort Owners Association, said that there had been a day-long shootout on Tuesday in Sajek and the Shippara area of Machalong’s Ward No. 7.

Nearly 10 tourist vehicles suspended their trip in the afternoon that day due to the gunfire, leaving approximately 500 tourists stranded in the area overnight.

The Rangamati District administration issued a travel warning for Sajek on Wednesday in consideration of the safety of tourists.

“Those who got stuck and those who were supposed to set off on Wednesday morning left Sajek after 2pm with the support of army personnel,” Motijoy said on Wednesday. “Some of the tourists who came for a two-day stay are still in Sajek.”

Locals say that several rounds of shootouts have occurred in the area amid a power struggle between the Santu Larma-led JSS and the Prashita Kishar-led UPDF. No casualties have yet been reported.