Over 500 tourists stranded at Sajek amid 'gunfight' between JSS, UPDF in Rangamati

Over 500 tourists who got stranded in Sajek, Rangamati's Baghaichhari upazila, amid a gunfight between two rival groups began leaving the area today (4 December0 with army assistance.

Earlier, tensions escalated at Sajek due to the gunfight between activists of Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) and United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), forcing the authorities to impose travel restrictions at the tourist location for today.

No vehicles with tourists left for Sajek till Tuesday afternoon due to the gunfire, leaving more than hundreds of tourists stranded in the area overnight, according to media reports.

Baghaichhari upazila executive officer Shirin Akhter said, "As the law and order situation has normalised, tourists left Sajek for Khagrachhari at 2pm."

Local people said the exchange of gunfire started between activists of JSS and UPDF in Sajek and Machalong areas a few days back, but it intensified on Tuesday. 

Motijoy Tripura, joint general secretary of the Sajek Resort Owners Association, said the gunfight occurred at Shippara under the no 7 ward in the Sajek and Machalong areas, 20 kilometres away from the Sajek valley.

Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan, deputy commissioner of Rangamati district, said that considering tourists' safety, the local administration imposed a travel ban for Wednesday. Further decisions will be taken considering the situation.

The United Kingdom has also warned its citizens against travelling to Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). 

"Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office [FCDO] advises against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, as there are regular reports of violence and other criminal activity, particularly in more remote parts. The area is made up of the districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban," the UK government wrote in its travel advice to foreign nationals yesterday.