Two Hours of Gunfire Between Blockaders and Security Forces in Sajek: At Least Nine Personnel Injured; 3,000 Tourists Brought Back with Army Help

Security forces exchanged gunfire with blockaders for nearly two hours at Ujobazar in Sajek, Rangamati. The superintendent of police said at least six people, including army and police personnel, were injured; subsequent reports put the number of injured security personnel at nine. The situation is now under control, and all stranded tourists have left Sajek safely.

Rangamati Superintendent of Police Abdur Rakib disclosed the information at a press conference at his office in Rangamati town on Thursday afternoon. He said law enforcement had requested the blockaders at Ujobazar to clear the road so that tourists staying in Sajek could be taken safely to their destinations. At that point, the blockaders hurled brickbats at the security personnel, injuring three to four army members and two police members.

The police superintendent added that when shots were later fired at the law enforcement personnel, the forces returned fire. The intermittent exchange of gunfire continued for about two hours, from 11am to 1pm.

At the press conference, the SP said the situation is now calm and Ujobazar is under the control of law enforcement. All tourists have left Sajek safely, he said, adding that the entire incident would be investigated and legal action taken against those involved.

Meanwhile, around 3,000 tourists who had been stranded in Sajek because of the blockade reached Khagrachhari with the assistance of the army. The tourists, who had travelled to the popular hill destination for a holiday and suddenly found themselves amid a blockade and gunfire, spent the day in fear and anxiety; their safe return brought relief.

Sajek, in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati, is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations and draws visitors throughout the year. An armed clash centred on a blockade in such an area has raised fresh questions about tourist safety in the hills.

The incident has also stirred political discussion. The Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami has publicly questioned what is happening around Sajek, bringing the hill situation into the centre of national debate.

According to the police superintendent, the clash began with a request to open the road for tourists. Refusal to clear the road, then brickbats, and finally gunfire — in that sequence, the quiet hill settlement of Sajek witnessed a violent afternoon.

The injured security personnel are receiving treatment. The press conference was told that an investigation is under way to identify those involved and that legal action will follow. Security forces have strengthened their presence in the area to prevent the situation from flaring up again.

When Sajek's only road link comes under a blockade, local residents suffer alongside tourists: trade and movement in the area grind to a halt. With the situation brought under control and tourists returned safely, normalcy is gradually returning, local sources said.

Security in the hills is already a sensitive matter, and a clash of this kind during the tourist season is a worry for the region's entire tourism industry. Business owners and tourism stakeholders fear that unless confidence in safety is restored, the flow of tourists to Sajek could be affected.

All eyes are now on the investigation: who called the blockade, why shots were fired at the security forces, and who was behind the clash. The police superintendent made it clear that no one involved is above the law and that strict action will be taken against the culprits once the investigation is complete.