Sajek Valley, a popular hill destination in Bangladesh's southeastern Rangamati district, celebrated World Tourism Day for the first time on Sunday.

The event was organised by the Rangamati Hill District Council and supervised by the Cottage and Resort Owners Association of Sajek.

The Bangladesh Tourism Board and the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the national tourism organisation, provided overall support. Local community members, tourism entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders took part.

The day began with a road show from Rangamati town to Sajek, joined by the council chairman, officials, and tourism industry figures. The programme was formally launched with the release of balloons, followed by a colourful procession from the Sajek entry point to Zero Point, where local communities displayed their traditional dress and culture.

Other events included a cleanliness drive, a tree plantation programme, a photography exhibition, and the opening of a traditional food court. The association also launched an information website for Sajek.

Dipan Talukder Dipu, chairman of the Rangamati Hill District Council, was chief guest. Special guests included Lt Col Md Tarequl Imran, commander of the Baghaihat Zone and chief patron of the association, and Advocate Mohammad Mamunur Rashid, general secretary of the Rangamati district unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a council member.

Shashwata Chakma, the council member in charge of tourism, was also present. Suparna Deb Barma, a council member and the association's president, presided over the programme.

In the afternoon, artists from the Lushai, Tripura, Chakma, and Marma communities performed at the Sajek helipad ground. Invited Manipuri artists presented a special dance and mridanga performance as part of a cultural exchange tourism initiative.

Journalists, travel vloggers, influencers, and tourists attended the event. The organisers said the aim was to link Sajek's nature, culture, and the heritage of its local communities with tourism and to highlight the area's tourism potential.

World Tourism Day is observed worldwide on September 27. It has been celebrated in member states since 1980 under the direct supervision of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

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