The authorities have extended the ongoing travel ban in four upazilas of Bandarban till November 4 due to the joint operation of the security forces in the border areas.
The ban on tourist travel was imposed in Ruma and Rowangchari upazilas on October 17 and in Thanchi and Alikadam upazilas on October 23.
The extension decision was announced in a notice signed by Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Yasmin Parvin Tibriji on Sunday.
The notice said that the restriction was imposed for the time being due to the joint operation so that no untoward incident happens with the tourists.
Another letter signed by Md. Latfur Rahman (Deputy Secretary), District Magistrate (Routine Duties) on October 17 said that, in order to carry out basic patrol activities and continue intelligence activities, considering the safety of tourists, the ban was announced for local and foreign tourists in Alikadam and Thanchi upazilas till October 30. And it was extended till November 4.
On October 21, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested 10 suspected militants and separatists along with a large cache of firearms and ammunition after conducting an operation in the remote areas of Bandarban and Rangamati.
The arrestees include seven members of the newly formed militant outfit Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya and three of the separatist organization Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).
A tense situation prevails in the area due to the presence of additional members of law enforcers and the ban on travelers, local people said.
Each winter, thousands of tourists visit the area, but because of the ban, more than 200 hotels, motels, and entertainment venues in the area are now deserted, causing financial losses to the district's tourism entrepreneurs.
Gunshots and explosions have often been heard in the border areas for a few months as the country's military has clashed with separatist groups.
On Sunday, the Border Guard Police (BGP) officially expressed their regret over the recent incidents of continuous shelling and fire of bullets along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border due to the ongoing violence in Rakhine state for the last two months.
In a flag meeting between the two countries border security forces on Sunday, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) strongly condemned the situation and asked the BGP to maintain peace on the border.