Eerie silence in Sajek valley

Roads remain blocked, shops shut and resorts deserted as fear grips the valley

A sense of panic prevails in Sajek Valley and its surrounding areas in Rangamati, a day after clashes and a reported gunfight over a road blockade.

The tourist centre has taken a desert look after the local administration closed it after Thursday’s violence.

The programme was enforced by Sajek Gano Odhikar Rokkha Committee and Sajek Karbari Association (village headmen’s association) to press for three demands, including the removal of an armed group linked with the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).

Vehicular movement on Sajek-Rangamati remained halted for two consecutive days since Thursday. Protesters yesterday burnt tyres at different points as part of their road blockade.

Most shops in the Ujo Bazar area have remained closed since Thursday’s incidents. Many villagers have left the area fearing possible raids and interrogation of law enforcement agencies.

“Whenever locals come to the road, they are facing interrogation and scrutiny by law enforcers. It installs fear among the villagers,” said a resident of Ujo Bazar in Sajek, seeking anonymity.

“We have left our village and shops in fear. Many of our villagers have taken shelters in their relatives’ houses,” said a leader of Ujo Bazar Traders’ Association, wishing not to be named.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Bijoy Kanti Chakma, member secretary of the Sajek Gano Odhikar Rokkha Committee, said around 100 people of their group were injured in Thursday’s incident.

Of them, eight are critically injured. None of them can be taken anywhere for treatment because law enforcers are obstructing them. “However, we are trying to arrange treatment for the injured on our own. We will continue our blockade.”

Talking to this newspaper, Muhammad Abdur Rakib, superintendent of Rangamati police, said public movement were thin and vehicular movement were stopped due to the blockade.

Those who have fled from their homes and shops will not face any problem to return, the SP added.

Although traffic remained suspended due to the blockade, the situation was normal, said Tofazzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sajek Police Station.

He added that joint operations by the army and police against armed terrorist groups were underway.

However, no case was filed till filing of the report around 7:00pm yesterday in connection with Thursday’s violence.

Sajek Gano Odhikar Rokkha Committee and Sajek Karbari Association first enforced an indefinite blockade on October 11. They later submitted their demands before the local administration and suspended their programme for two days after getting assurances. When the demands remained unmet, they resumed the blockade on October 15. The blockade was suspended during Durga Puja.

On Wednesday afternoon, the two organisations announced that they would enforce a blockade starting at 6:00am on Thursday.

A few hours later, around 3,000 tourists stranded on the road from Sajek in Rangamati were escorted to Khagrachhari after clashes between supporters of a blockade and law enforcers and then a reported gunfight between United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) members and security forces.

The army and police jointly conducted the evacuation and five army personnel and two police members were injured in the clashes, said SP Rakib on Thursday.

Besides the removal of an armed group, the protesters’ other demands include ending death threats against innocent people and stopping law enforcement agencies from searching ordinary people’s homes.

Meanwhile, tourism businesses are suffering financial losses as bookings at resorts and cottages in Sajek are being cancelled amid the blockade.

According to the Sajek Resort-Cottage Owners’ Association, around 120 resorts and cottages in Sajek can accommodate over 3,000 tourists.

A large turnout of tourists was seen in Sajek during Durga Puja holidays. But due to the blockade, previous bookings are now being cancelled.

Talking to this correspondent, Mishu Dey, owner of Sajek Ruilui Holiday Resort, said, “Our resort was fully booked from before Durga Puja until October 25. However, following the blockade and clashes on Thursday, around 60 percent of our bookings have been cancelled. If the situation does not return to normal soon, the remaining bookings are also likely to be cancelled.”

Motijoy Tripura, joint general secretary of the Sajek Resort-Cottage Owners’ Association, said continued cancellations and a decline in tourist visits could cause a major downturn in the tourism sector.

Meanwhile, several tourism-related organisations formed a human chain in Khagrachhari town yesterday, demanding the reopening of the Sajek tourist centre.