During Victory Day and the weekly holiday, the tourist centre in Sajek, Rangamati, experienced an overwhelming influx of tourists, exceeding double the available accommodation capacity.
With all rooms in resorts and cottages fully booked, numerous tourists resorted to staying in local homes, on verandas, or in store rooms.
The Sajek Resort-Cottage Owners' Association said there are 120 resorts and cottages, capable of accommodating up to 2,000 tourists. However, over 4,000 tourists arrived on Friday, resulting in a significant shortage of rooms. All accommodations had been fully booked four days prior to the holiday's start.
Over 100 tourists, unable to find lodging, returned on Saturday afternoon. The remaining visitors are staying with relatives, in the homes of locals, or on the verandas and in the storerooms of the resorts and cottages.
Jumghor Eco Resort Manager Yarong Tripura said: "No one had to spend the night on the streets. Many returned on Saturday. However, there are fewer tourists on Saturday than on Friday. Due to the arrival of more tourists, the resort-cottage owners association arranged to stay in the clubhouse. Others spent the night on the balconies of resort cottages and in the homes of residents. At present, there are about 3,000 tourists in Sajek."
Sajek Jeep Owners' Association lineman Yasin Arafat said: "Tourists came to Sajek on 340 jeeps, 100 CNG auto-rickshaws and about 100 bikes on Friday. However, on Saturday, tourists came in about 50 jeeps and about 20 bikes. More tourists have returned today (Saturday) than they have come."
Sajek Resort-Cottage Owners' Association General Secretary Rahul Chakma John said: "At least 4,000 tourists came to Sajek on Friday. So there was a shortage of rooms in the resort cottage of the association. Tourists who have not booked in advance are in trouble. For those who did not get rooms, we have arranged for the night in the clubhouse and the houses of the locals in the neighbourhood on behalf of the association."
Mentioning that there are about 120 resort cottages in Sajek under our association, Rahul Chakma added: "The tourist capacity in these resort cottages is 1,800 to 2,000 maximum. But there are still 3,000 tourists in Sajek. To cope with the extra tourists, we have made arrangements to stay in the verandah of the resort cottage and the homes of residents."