The authorities have extended the ongoing travel ban in four upazilas of Bandarban till November 16 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 Saturday.
A letter signed by Yasmin Parvin Tibrij, District Magistrate on November 12 said that, considering the safety of tourists, the ban was announced for local and foreign tourists in Alikadam and Thanchi upazilas till November 4. And it was extended till November 16.
Earlier on October 20, 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).
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.
