Law Enforcers Begin Operation
Joint forces camp attacked in Jungle Salimpur at midnight
Collected Photo
Armed attackers have reportedly launched an assault on a joint security forces camp in the crime-prone Jungle Salimpur area of Chattogram. Following nearly two hours of exchange of gunfire, joint forces have begun a sweeping operation in the remote hill terrain.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. on Monday, when armed men suddenly opened fire on the camp. According to a statement from Lt. Col. Hafizur Rahman, commander of RAB-7, the attack was carried out by the Yasin group of criminals. He said RAB responded using non-lethal weapons to resist the assault. The gunfight continued for about two hours.
He further said that members of the joint forces have entered suspected militant hideouts in the hilly terrain and that the operation is ongoing. He also urged journalists to offer “prayers and support” for the mission.
The attack comes at a time when Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed is scheduled to visit Jungle Salimpur on May 31. His visit plan was communicated to the administration on Sunday morning.
Jungle Salimpur, located near the Bayezid–Fouzderhat link road in Chattogram and falling under Sitakunda upazila, contains around 3,100 acres of government khas land. For years, it has been under the influence of a group called the “Chattogram Metropolitan Slum Dwellers Coordination Struggle Council,” which has reportedly occupied the land and established dominance. Around 20,000 people currently live in the area.
Locals have long described Jungle Salimpur as a stronghold of land grabbers and criminal groups, calling it a “state within a state.” Among the active groups there is the Yasin Bahini, led by Md. Yasin.
Law enforcement agencies have carried out multiple operations in the past but failed to fully regain control of the area. During an operation on January 19 this year, RAB-7 Assistant Director Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan was killed in an attack by armed criminals, and three other members were injured.
Later, on March 9, a joint operation involving the army, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh, and RAB—around 3,200 personnel in total—took control of the area. A joint forces camp was subsequently established there, and the government has also planned development initiatives, including the possible relocation of a prison.
