Road to Rangamati's Sajek reopens after landslide

The collapse of a hillside amid heavy overnight rains left thousands of tourists stranded until the afternoon

The movement of vehicles to and from Sajek in Rangamati's Baghaichhari has returned to normal after authorities cleared a road leading to the tourism hotspot following a landslide triggered by heavy overnight rains.

A large chunk of a hillside collapsed on the road, leaving thousands of tourists stranded on Wednesday, according to Baghaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rumana Akhter.

Army personnel had been working to remove the soil from the road since the morning and traffic eventually resumed around 2:30 pm, Rumana said. The incident did not cause any damage of note.

However, the authorities could not ascertain when the landslide occurred as there are no settlements in the area. It was only when vehicles began using the road in the morning that the matter came to their attention, according to Rumana.

Thousands of tourists thronged the Sajek valley during the Durga Puja holidays, according to Suparna Deb Burman, president of the Sajek Cottage Owners Association. Due to the road closure, vehicles leaving Sajek had to stop at Machalong while those heading to the valley waited at Baghaihat.

There are 112 cottages in Sajek, which can accommodate almost 4,000 tourists at a time.