United News of Bangladesh

Some 461 tourists, who had got stranded in Sajek Valley in Baghaichari upazila of Rangamati due to heavy rain, landslides and severed road communication, have been evacuated with the help of Bangladesh Army. Of the total tourists, 311 left Sajek on Friday morning after Army personnel helped them cross flooded stretches by boats in the Machalong Bazar, Simanachhara and Baghaihat Bazar areas before continuing their journey by road. Earlier on Thursday, another 150 tourists were evacuated in the first phase, the Baghaihat Army Zone said on Friday morning. A total of 561 tourists had been stranded in Sajek Valley following days of continuous rainfall, landslides and severed road links. The Army arranged boats and rafts to help tourists cross inundated sections of the road. According to Baghaihat Zone sources, 150 tourists travelled to Khagrachhari in the first phase on Thursday, while rest 311 left the valley in the 2nd phase on Friday. The remaining around 100 tourists will also be evacuated in phases. Rahul Chakma, organising secretary of the Sajek Cottage and Resort Owners’ Association, said stranded tourists were provided accommodation free of charge, although they were required to pay only for water. Meanwhile, normal life in Rangamati has been disrupted by continuous rainfall and adverse weather, with the district administration shifting residents from landslide-prone areas to safer locations. So far, 3,524 people have taken shelter in 40 shelters across the district. The flood has also inundated homes, croplands and low-lying areas in Baghaichari, Belaichari and Juraichari as water from upstream continues to flow into the region. Thousands of people have remained affected by flooding and were facing shortages of safe drinking water and food. Landslides have also disrupted traffic at several points on the Rangamati-Chattogram and Kaptai-Chattogram roads. The district administration and Fire Service urged residents living in vulnerable areas to move to shelters amid fears of fresh landslides.

Police have rescued 15 tourists, who remained stranded in the fountain area of Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram district on Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, 15 students of different universities including Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) , Chattogram Medical College, Dhaka University, Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU), Khulna Agriculture University and Green Herald School and College, went to Sonaichhari hill to see fountain under Wahedpur union of the upazila and got struck due to rain, said Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Mirsarai Police Station. Avalanche sweeps away tourists in northeast India; 7 killed It was difficult for them to walk on foot on the road as it gets slippery, said Ayon Chowdhury, a student of Buet. “We all are friends as we were the students of St Placid's School & College in Chattogram. During the Eid holiday we made a plan to go to Mirsarai to see the fountains,” he said. Later, they made a phone call to the national emergency number 999 and sought help. Tourists can’t carry single-use plastics in Sundarbans: Environment Minister   After getting their phone call, police and fire service men rescued them in the evening. All of them were handed over to their families, said OC. Over 500 tourists stranded on St Martin's Island due to inclement weather

Police rescued 20 tourists, including women and children, after their boat ran out of fuel amid rain and got stuck on Kaptai Lake in Rangamati district on Thursday night According to Additional Superintendent of Rangamati police Mahmuda Begum, the tourists went to Kaptai lake from Chattogram’s Agrabad. They got stranded on the lake as fuel of their engine boat ran out amid heavy rain along with gusty wind triggering panic. Read: Rangamati tourism needs big boost “Someone from the group called 999 and informed us about the situation. A team of Rangamati police rescued the tourists from the lake’s Peda Ting Ting area and brought them to the district police’s Polwell park at about 8:00pm on Thursday night,” said Mahmuda. Md Rashed, one of the tourists, said that he called 999 and informed police about their situation.   The tourists lauded Rangamati district police for their quick response.