After Bandarban, the Rangamati district administration has also suspended tourist visits to Sajek Valley due to the risk of landslides triggered by persistent heavy rainfall.
In an emergency public notice issued at around 7:30 pm on Tuesday, the district administration said the restriction would take effect immediately and remain in force until further notice.
The notice, signed by Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi, said continuous heavy rainfall and weather forecasts issued by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department's Storm Warning Centre indicate a heightened risk of landslides across the hill district. Several incidents of landslides have already been reported, disrupting road communication in different areas.
Considering the prevailing weather conditions and to ensure the safety of tourists and local residents, the district administration has temporarily closed Sajek Valley, located in Baghaichhari upazila.
During the restriction, all tourist attractions, waterfalls, hill trails, remote areas and other high-risk locations in Sajek Valley will remain off-limits to tourists, tour operators and the general public.
The administration also urged residents and travellers to exercise maximum caution while moving around the district and strictly follow official safety directives due to the ongoing risk of landslides.
Earlier, the Bandarban district administration closed all tourist destinations in the district until July 10 after days of torrential rain and flash floods created near-disaster conditions.
Flooding, the threat of landslides, disrupted road communication and prolonged power outages have severely affected normal life across the district. A child was swept away and killed in strong currents, while 90 tourists stranded at the remote Nafakhum and Amiakhum waterfalls in Thanchi were safely rescued and brought back to the upazila headquarters.
