Own Correspondent, Bandarban.

Tourist cottages are on fire in Sajek. Photo: Collected
A fire has broken out in several cottages and restaurants in Sajek, a tourist destination in Rangamati. A local public representative said that the fire started from a cottage named Ikup Valley on Monday afternoon. The fire quickly spread to the cottages and restaurants nearby.

This afternoon, Rahul Chakma Joy, organizing secretary of the Sajek Resort Cottage Owners Association, said, ‘The fire quickly went out of control due to the wind. The cottages on both sides of the road are burning one after another.’

Anitya Tripura, a member of Ward No. 2 of Sajek Union, said, ‘We were going to an emergency meeting in a village in the Kanglak hills when we received news that a fire had broken out in Sajek Valley.’

He further said, ‘According to initial information, the fire started from a cottage named Ikup Valley. The Dighinala Fire Service was informed immediately after receiving the news of the fire. The distance from Sajek to Dighinala is about 40-42 kilometers. The fire service could not reach within an hour.’

Sajek Union Parishad Chairman Dulal Chakma said, ‘The fire spread quickly due to the strong sun and wind in the afternoon. The situation has become dire as there is no fire service station in Sajek. Locals are trying to control the fire.