Tourist from Dhaka goes missing while bathing at Bandarban’s Nafakhum

Police say the group entered the restricted Nafakhum zone without permission, guide, and registration at the tourist information centre

A tourist has gone missing after reportedly going down to bathe at the Nafakhum waterfall, a restricted and remote tourist spot in Thanchi Upazila of Bandarban, according to police.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, according to Thanchi Police Station chief Nasir Uddin. The missing man, Iqbal Hossain, 24, was a resident of Demra in Dhaka.

According to Mamun Rashid, general secretary of the Thanchi Guide Association, Iqbal was part of a 17-member group from Demra. The group neither took the mandatory travel permission nor registered themselves at the tourist information centre before heading to Nafakhum.

Police said, as the area has no mobile network coverage, the group was unable to inform authorities immediately. They were also travelling without a guide, despite the requirement.

Officer Nasir said several members of the group came to lodge a general diary on Saturday afternoon. A Border Guard Bangladesh team was then sent to the site, and the Fire Service was alerted.

The local Fire Service unit, however, has no divers, and a team must be brought in from Chattogram. Officials there have already been informed.

Thanchi Upazila administrator (UNO) Md Abdullah Al Faisal said a ban on travel and tourist entry to Nafakhum waterfall remains in force. Tourists are only allowed to travel up to Tindu.

Nafakhum, one of Bandarban’s popular tourist destinations, lies in Remakri Union. Travellers must take a two-hour engine boat ride from Thanchi to Remakri Bazaar, followed by a two-hour trek to reach the site.

The ban on travel to Nafakhum was imposed at the end of 2022 after unrest involving the armed group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).