The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) paid deep tributes and placed wreaths at the grave of Bir Sreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf at Burighat in Naniarchar upazila of Rangamati on the occasion of the Victory Day. A floral wreath was placed on behalf of the BGB Director General at the grave of this heroic son of the nation on Monday morning. President Shahabuddin pays tribute to Liberation War martyrs on Victory Day BGB Kaptai Zone Commander Lt Col Mohammad Tanzilur Rahman Bhuiyan, Dayal Krishna Chakma, Bir Sreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf Foundation Director Yasin Rana Sohel and others were present on the occasion. During the ceremony, an armed salute was given by playing the bugle tune and a prayer was offered seeking peace for the soul of Bir Sreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf. Later, wreaths were placed on behalf of educational institutions and social organizations. Tributes paid to martyred police members on Victory Day at Rajarbagh Police Lines Later, the BGB’s Rangamati Sector Commander provided financial assistance to Doyal Krishna Chakma in recognition of his role in identifying and burying the remains of Bir Sreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf at Burighat, Naniarchar.

Tensions have escalated at Sajek in Rangamati amid ‘exchange of gunfire’ between two rival groups, forcing the authorities to impose travel restriction at the tourist location for Wednesday. Some 500 tourists have been stranded in the area due to the gunfight. Additional District Magistrate of Rangamati Zobaida Akter issued the restriction through a press release on Tuesday night. Protest held outside Indian Mission in Khulna over Agartala attack Local people said the exchange of gunfire started between activists of Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) and United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) in Sajek and Machalong areas few days back but it intensified on Tuesday. No vehicles with tourists left for Sajek on Tuesday afternoon. Motijoy Tripura, joint general secretary of Sajek Resort Owners Association, said gunfight took place at Shippara under no 7 ward in Sajek and Machalong area , 20 kilometers away from the Sajek valley. 1030 mts rice imported from India thru Benapole in one week Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan, deputy commissioner of Rangamati district, said considering the safety of  tourists, the local administration imposed a travel ban for Wednesday. Further decisions will be taken considering the situation.

The government has appointed new deputy commissioners (DCs) in Rangamati and Thakurgaon districts. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification to this end on Wednesday. According to the notification, Ishrat Farzana, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Thakurgaon, has been transferred to Rangamati, while Mohammad Habib Ullah, a deputy secretary in the Finance Division, has been appointed as the new DC of Thakurgaon. The order will be effective soon, the notification added.  

Usually vibrant with tourists during public holidays, the popular tourist destinations in the three hill districts now wear a desolate look after a recent directive by the authorities discouraging people from visiting the region. Tourism businesses in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari are set to suffer huge losses as all bookings have been cancelled due to the restriction. District administrations asked people not to visit the hill districts from October 8 to31 citing “unavoidable reasons”, including safety concerns and the impact of recent natural disasters. Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan said the decision was made to ensure the safety of tourists, with hopes that the situation will normalise by the end of the month. “We have urged tourists not to visit Rangamati during this period. Later, travel can resume as usual,” he said. The travel restriction came at a particularly difficult time for the tourism sector. Hotel and resort operators had received advanced bookings for the Durga Puja holiday, the biggest religious festival of Hindus. Read: Government announces programs to mark World Tourism Day tomorrow However, he is optimistic that easing the restrictions could help the tourism sector recover from this crisis. “We are facing a major crisis,” said Ramzan Ali, a leaseholder at the boat dock operated by the Rangamati Parjatan Corporation. “The scenic Hanging Bridge was submerged due to recent rains and floods, and now we have this travel ban. We don't know how we will survive.” Md. Sultan, manager of Hotel Square Park, echoed similar concerns saying, “All the bookings have been canceled, and our hotels are empty. Normally, we are fully booked at this time of year,” he said. Local tourism associations have expressed deep concern over the economic impact of the travel ban. Ten organizations, including the Rangamati Resort Owners’ Association, the Houseboat Owners’ Association, and the Residential Hotel Owners’ Association, submitted a memorandum to the district administration calling for the government to lift the ban immediately. “We are facing severe uncertainty regarding our livelihoods. The ban sends a highly negative message to tourists and threatens to push the developing tourism sector in these regions to the brink of collapse,” they said in the memorandum. Read more: Sunamganj tourism suffers Tk 50 crore loss amid floods and ongoing situation Ten organizations, including the Rangamati Resort Owners’ Association, the Houseboat Owners’ Association, and the Hotel Owners’ Association, submitted a memorandum to the district administration calling for the government to lift the ban immediately. “We are facing severe uncertainty regarding our livelihoods. The ban sends a highly negative message to tourists and threatens to push the developing tourism sector in these regions to the brink of collapse,” they said in the memorandum. Adviser to Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Supradip Chakma recently said the ban would be lifted soon. “We are in talks with the Home Affairs adviser, and a decision will be announced shortly,” he said.

The Rangamati District Administration has issued a directive discouraging tourists from visiting Sajek Valley starting October 4 until further notice, due to ongoing concerns regarding law and order in the region. In a letter signed by Rangamati Additional District Magistrate Md Saiful Islam, the administration emphasized the need to prioritize the safety of tourists, citing the overall security situation in Sajek and its surrounding areas of Baghaichhari upazila. This decision comes in light of recent unrest in Khagrachhari and Rangamati, which has raised significant safety concerns. Read: Tourists discouraged from visiting Sajek till Sept 30 Earlier, the administration had already extended the travel discouragement period for tourists from September 28 to September 30, and again from October 1 to October 3. The situation has become increasingly critical, with reports indicating that around 1,500 tourists and 500 drivers and staff were recently stranded in Sajek Valley due to a blockade prompted by local unrest. This disruption has resulted in significant challenges, including shortages of essential supplies like drinking water, gas, and food. In response to these difficulties, resort owners have been offering discounts of up to 75% to accommodate stranded tourists. However, considering the prevailing circumstances, the administration has determined that discouraging further travel to Sajek is a necessary precaution. Read more: 1400 tourists stranded in Sajek return to Khagrachhari with army’s help Tourists are urged to stay updated on the situation and consider alternate destinations for their travel plans until the administration provides further guidance. The Rangamati district administration said it will ensure the safety and security of all visitors.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh today (November 28, 2023) signed a $90 million loan agreement to develop infrastructure and systems that will provide clean drinking water and sanitation services in Bandarban, Lama, and Rangamati towns in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) region. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Edimon Ginting, Country Director, ADB, signed the loan agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively, at a ceremony at ERD in Dhaka. “We are pleased to support the government in pursuing inclusive and climate-resilient development by providing clean drinking water and sanitation services and improving solid waste management in the lagging Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) region,” said ADB Country Director Ginting. Read more: Latest ADB report predicts a better year for Bangladesh in FY2024 “The improved services will reduce the risks of water-borne diseases, enhance health and economic opportunities, and benefit women who spend considerable productive time daily collecting water and managing wastes,” he said. The Chattogram Hill Tracts Inclusive and Resilient Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project will develop water treatment plants with a total capacity of 44 million liters per day in Bandarban, Lama, and Rangamati towns, as well as 24 km of transmission line and 340 km of new water distribution network to connect to households. In Bandarban and Lama, the project will also modernize sanitation and solid waste management systems through rehabilitated public toilets and the provision of vehicles to safely de-sludge fecal sludge and collect solid waste integrated with a geographic information system, and equip household waste bins with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to track waste collection. The project will also develop two integrated waste management facilities to treat and manage fecal sludge and solid waste, said the regional development bank. To maximize impact and sustainability, a community awareness and behavior change campaign on water, sanitation, hygiene, climate resilience, and solid waste management will be conducted. The campaign will target 100,000 people, with at least 60 percent participation from women and the vulnerable population. Around 300 staff (at least 90 percent of the eligible women staff) of the Department of Public Health Engineering, hill district councils, and municipalities will be trained on climate-resilient, inclusive, and sustainable water supply, sanitation, and solid waste management service delivery. The project will also enhance the readiness for implementation of future investments in water supply and sanitation for 31 towns by preparing feasibility studies, detailed designs, and bidding documents following approaches that promote disaster and climate resilience as well as gender equity and social inclusion. Read more: In another first, PM Hasina opens Ctg-Cox's Bazar railway line

After a month and half of staying closed following inundation, the iconic hanging bridge on Kaptai Lake, known as a “symbol of Rangamati”, has opened to tourists and visitors. The local administration withdrew the ban on tourist movement on the bridge on Friday (October 20, 2023) after the water receded. Several lakh tourists from across the country and abroad come to Rangamati every year and the hanging bridge is a must-see attraction. During monsoon, the district administration restricts the movement of tourists on Kaptai Lake hanging bridge due to inundation every year. Water transports banned in Kaptai Lake On September 3, the local administration suspended movement on the bridge in Rangamati as it went under water following a rise in water level in the lake due to heavy rain. Water level rises in Kaptai lake after heavy rains; power generation increased

Rangamati district administration has restricted the movement of tourists on Kaptai Lake hanging bridge in Rangamati as it went under water following the rise in water level of in the lake amid heavy rain. During a visit to the Kaptai lake area on Sunday morning, this correspondent found that six inches of the bridge above the Kaptai lake was inundated.Ramjan Ali, who provides rented boat service under Tourism Corporation, said due to the closure of the bridge above the Kaptai Lake they are passing idle time. 3-month ban on fishing, tourism in Sundarbans begins on June 1Alok Bikash Chakma, manager of Rangamati Tourism Corporation, said the authorities closed the entrance gate of the bridge from Sunday morning as the slab of the bridge went under water following the rise in water level in the Kaptai Lake to avoid risks. Tourism banned again in Bandarban's 3 upazilasThe bridge will be reopened for tourists if the water level of the lake drops, he said.Tourism banned again in Bandarban's Thanchi

A member of the United People's Democratic Front's (UPDF) was shot to death allegedly by miscreants at Sapchhari in Sadar upazila of Rangamati district on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Rupanta Chakma alias Leja Chakma, 47, collector of UPDF and son of Laxmi Chandra Chakma of Shimultoli village in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachari district. Rafiqul Amin, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said the miscreants opened fire on Leja Chakma while he was going to work around 8:30 am. Also read: Two Jubo League activists shot in Rupganj On information, a team of police left for the place to recover the body. The UPDF have not given their official reaction to the killing yet, but some of their  men blamed Jana Sanghati Samity, although it wasn't clear if they meant the PCJSS led by Santu Larma or the splinter group JSS (Reformist).  

A Rangamati court on Tuesday sent 44 suspected members of militant outfit Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, who were arrested in different anti-militant drives in the district, to jail in separate cases. The court also put five members of the armed separatist group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) on a five-day remand. Rangamati Senior Judicial Magistrate Swarna Komol passed the order when police produced 49 members of Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya and Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) before the court. Also Read: Nayeb-e-Amir of militant group Jama'atul Ansar arrested from Dhaka’s Sayedabad: CTTC Earlier in the day, the militants were taken to the court amid tight security. Also Read: 12 militants, 14 KNF members arrested so far in anti-militancy drive in Bandarban: RAB   Law enforcers conducted separate drives in the hilly areas of Rangamati and Bandarban districts and arrested 50 militants Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya and KNF members recently.