Joint forces arrest 15, establish full control over Jungle Salimpur after daylong operation

After a daylong crackdown, the joint forces have established full control over Jungle Salimpur area in Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazila, a remote hilly locality long known for numerous criminal activities.

At least 15 people were arrested during the drive, police said.

Chattogram Range DIG Md Ahsan Habib Palash said on Monday afternoon that the combined operation by police, RAB, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the army had succeeded in establishing dominance over the area.

“Our main objective was to establish control over this place. We have achieved that,” he said. “From now on, ordinary citizens, police, and administration can operate safely here.”

The DIG described Jungle Salimpur as a “longstanding hub of illegal activity” where gangs bypassed government policies, forged land papers, and terrorised residents.

“There was a time when police and law-enforcing agencies were afraid to enter,” he said, noting that Monday marked the fifth attempt to secure the settlement after four prior operations failed.

The operation, involving over 3,000 personnel working in coordinated teams, led to the arrest of 15 individuals.

Weapons were also recovered, though precise numbers remain under review due to network constraints.

DIG Palash said the control now established would allow faster recovery of arms and uninterrupted law enforcement presence, including two new camps for police and RAB.

Jungle Salimpur, spread over roughly 1,250 hectares of government land, has a troubled history.

Settled in 2004 by landless families, it later fell under the control of multiple gangs.

Notable clashes include the 2010 gunfight that killed local leader Ali Akkas and the 2025 confrontation between rival factions Yasin and Rokon-Ghafur.

A RAB officer, Nayek Subedar Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan, was killed here on 19 January during a raid.

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Authorities now plan to implement government development projects in the hills, including the proposed Chattogram Central Jail, Sports Village, and Eco Park, to ensure lasting control.

DIG Palash emphasised coordination with the divisional commissioner for logistical support and accelerated development to prevent the resurgence of criminal activity.

“People here have long suffered oppression and violence,” he said. “Now, law and order will prevail.”