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Monday | November 02, 2026 | Dhaka

Fresh gunfire in Sajek, blockade to resume today

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:02 AM, 02 November 2026

There are reports of another hour-long exchange of gunfire between the JSS and UPDF in Sajek, Rangamati, over a struggle for dominance.

Locals said the firing took place between roughly 4pm and 5pm on Sunday in the Langalmara area of Jhurjhuri Chhara, Sajek. No information on casualties is available because of the remoteness of the area.

Earlier, on Saturday, the same two groups exchanged fire. Local sources said these incidents have left the area in fear.

Meanwhile, an indefinite blockade on the Sajek tourism road, called by two local organisations, the Sajek Gonoadhikar Rokkha Committee (Sajek People’s Rights Protection Committee) and the Sajek Karbari Association, was relaxed from morning to evening on Sunday.

However, another organisation from Khagrachhari, under the banner of the Parbatya Chattogram Rokkha Committee (Chittagong Hill Tracts Protection Committee), called a counter-blockade the same day.

As a result, the relaxation reportedly had little effect. A few motorcycles and auto-rickshaws ran, but other vehicles were almost entirely off the road. Leaders of the two organisations said the indefinite blockade would resume from Monday.

Locals said the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS), led by Santu Larma, and the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), led by Prasit Khisa, exchanged fire for about an hour on Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, too, the two groups fought a gun battle lasting about an hour and a half in the remote Kalabunia and Bhangamura areas of Machalong in Sajek. This has spread fear among the public. Both sides have denied involvement in the firing.

UPDF spokesperson Angya Marma said there was no question of any of their members being involved in such firing. Parichoy Chakma, member for Ward 5 of Sajek Union, said the firing took place between two armed groups in the Jhurjhuri Chhara area and the neighbouring Langalmara border area. He said ordinary people were living in fear.

Tofazzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sajek police station, said there had been about an hour of firing between two groups in the Langalmara area of Sajek on Monday afternoon, but that it had now stopped.

He added that, because of the blockade called by an organisation in Khagrachhari, a few light vehicles used the Sajek road but no heavy vehicles did.

On Sunday, the 11th day of the indefinite blockade called by the Sajek Gonoadhikar Rokkha Committee and the Karbari Association over a five-point list of demands, the relaxation from morning to evening was not effective because of the blockade called by a labour organisation named the Parbatya Chattogram Rokkha Committee. Babudhon Chakma and Notunjoy Chakma, leaders of the two organisations, said the indefinite blockade on the Sajek tourism road would continue from Monday as before.