Tourists stranded as indefinite Sajek road blockade begins

photo: collected

The Sajek Karbari Association and the Sajek Gono Odhikar Rokkha Committee have launched an indefinite road blockade on the Sajek-Dighinala road.

The blockade began at 6am on Sunday, halting traffic on the main road leading to the Ruilui tourist centre in Sajek.

In support of the blockade, protesters staged demonstrations at several points along the road, placing tree trunks across it and setting tyres on fire to prevent vehicles from passing.

Tuntu Moni Chakma, president of the Khagrachhari Mahindra Owners Welfare Cooperative Association, said Sajek is currently in the peak tourist season. On average, around 2,500 tourists travel to Sajek every day in approximately 30 Mahindra vehicles and jeeps.

Many tourists left Khagrachhari town for Sajek on Sunday morning but could not proceed beyond Baghaihat because of the blockade. They were expected to be escorted to Sajek by law enforcement personnel around 2pm.

Rahul Chakma, organising secretary of the Sajek Resort-Cottage Owners Association, said some tourists had left Sajek on Saturday after hearing about the blockade, while others had arrived. Around 3,000 tourists are currently staying in Sajek, he added.

No tourist vehicles had left Sajek for Khagrachhari in the morning. Vehicles carrying tourists were scheduled to depart at 2pm.

Sajek Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tofazzal Hossain said, “No vehicles were operating on the road. All tourist vehicles were scheduled to leave Sajek under security escort at 2pm, while vehicles from Baghaihat were also expected to depart for Sajek at the same time.”