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Gunfight erupts in Sajek as tourists return safely
A convoy carrying around 3,000 tourists encountered a barricade set up by protester
Daily Sun Report, Rangamati
Published: 22 Oct 2026, 01:42 PM
A gunfight broke out between security forces and armed assailants at Ujobazar in Sajek, Rangamati. Photo : Collected
A gunfight broke out between security forces and armed assailants at Ujobazar in Sajek, Rangamati, on Thursday, with several members of law enforcement agencies reportedly injured.
Anwar Hossain, general secretary of the Baghaichhari Upazila Press Club, who was at Ujobazar, said a convoy carrying around 3,000 tourists encountered a barricade set up by protesters in the area in the morning.
He said members of the law enforcement agencies repeatedly asked the protesters to clear the road, but they refused to comply.
“At one stage, shots were fired at vehicles carrying tourists. Law enforcers then removed the blockade and escorted the tourists to safety,” he said.
He added that a gunfight erupted between security forces and armed assailants after the tourists had left Ujobazar.
Leaders and activists of the Sajek Karbari Association and Sajek Gana Odhikar Rakkha Committee have launched an indefinite blockade on the Baghaichhari-Sajek road for the third time to press home their three-point demand.
Considering the security situation, the district administration has temporarily suspended the entry of tourists into Sajek.
Since Thursday morning, protesters have been picketing at several points along the road, including Shuknachhari in Baghaichhat, burning tyres and chanting slogans in support of the blockade.
Local residents said the Sajek Gana Odhikar Rakkha Committee and the Karbari Association called the road blockade amid a dispute between two regional political organisations over establishing dominance in the area.
Sajib Chakma, central information and publicity secretary of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS), rejected the allegations, describing them as “conspiratorial propaganda” by the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF).
He alleged that the campaign was intended to divert attention from what he described as longstanding “terrorist activities, exploitation and repression” by the UPDF in Sajek.
Repeated attempts to reach Rangamati district police and Sajek police for comments did not receive an immediate response.