Armed members of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) fired 30 to 40 rounds targeting tourists and security personnel in Sajek, Rangamati on Thursday morning, according to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
 
The incident occurred around 11:00 AM in the Gangaram Bazar area of Sajek.
 
ISPR confirmed that approximately 3,000 tourists who were stranded due to the incident were safely evacuated with the assistance of the Army and Police. No casualties were reported.
 
According to the ISPR release, armed UPDF members forcibly used local residents as human shields to block the road in Gangaram Bazar, halting traffic on the Sajek-Baghaihat road and stranding around 3,000 tourists visiting Sajek.
 
The statement noted that at around 10:00 AM on Thursday, the blockaders set up obstacles on the road to stop tourist vehicles. A joint patrol team of the Army and Police attempted to negotiate with the blockaders to normalize the situation.
 
However, around 10:45 AM, the blockaders began throwing bricks at security forces and tourists. Security personnel dispersed the group using baton charges to bring the situation under control and subsequently cleared the road for tourist vehicles.
ISPR further added that around 11:00 AM, armed UPDF members opened fire, discharging approximately 30 to 40 rounds at security forces and tourists. In response, army patrol teams fired back in self-defense and to ensure the safety of the tourists, causing the armed miscreants to flee the scene.
 
Following the exchange, joint army and police teams successfully evacuated all stranded tourists safely.
 
Preliminary findings indicate that the blockade and violence were pre-planned, with UPDF miscreants coercing local residents into participating and using them as human shields, ISPR noted.
 
ISPR stated that following ongoing security operations across various parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), cornered armed UPDF members took up positions in the tourism area. Such acts of violence disrupt peace, stability, and public security in the CHT while negatively impacting the local tourism industry and livelihoods.
 
The Army emphasized that its operations in coordination with the civil administration and other law enforcement agencies will continue to maintain peace, harmony, and stability while ensuring the safety of local residents and tourists in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.