Jungle Salimpur will not be allowed to become a sanctuary for terrorists

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has warned that Jungle Salimpur in Sitakunda Upazila of Chattogram District, will not be allowed to become a sanctuary for terrorists. However, the minister has promised that the lakhs of residents who have settled on government-owned khas land in the hills of that area will not be evicted 'for the time being'.

The Home Minister spoke to journalists after visiting the area on Sunday afternoon.

Identified land grabbers and terrorist gangs have turned Jungle Salimpur into veritable 'another state within the state' by occupying approximately 3,100 acres of government khas land, creating plots, and selling them. Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly faced resistance when conducting operations there. A RAB officer even lost his life in the process.

Although the administration had previously spoken of evicting the grabbers, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed reassured the residents, saying, "The local inhabitants who have been forced to settle here for various reasons, whether temporarily or rehabilitated due to different circumstances... we will make a plan for how to rehabilitate them. None of them will be evicted from here for the time being."

"We are a people's government. We will make all our plans to provide comfort to the people. So, if anyone tries to create fear that evictions will take place, the residents should contact the administration beforehand."

The main controller of Jungle Salimpur is Mohammad Yasin, a listed land grabber wanted by law enforcement agencies. RAB officer Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan was killed on January 19th while attempting to arrest him. Subsequently, on March 9th, the army, BGB, RAB, and police conducted a joint operation, announced that they had brought the area under control, and established two temporary camps there. Another camp was scheduled to be inaugurated by the Home Minister on Sunday (May 31st). However, terrorists launched an armed attack on the night of May 25th and razed that camp to the ground.

The Home Minister commented that by destroying the camp, the terrorists have challenged the state, saying, "We were astonished—how did the terrorists dare to declare a challenge against the state? Where did they get the audacity to cut roads, bring in excavators and bulldozers, and demolish an under-construction RAB camp? Who is involved with them? Who is involved in grabbing land in this area? We are now finding out."

The minister also said that desired success was not achieved previously due to information about operations being leaked beforehand. "Within a month of taking office, we observed some terrorist activities in Chattogram. Heavily armed individuals went to the residences of some businessmen, fired guns, hurled abuses, threatened them, and demanded extortion money. We took the matter very seriously. We decided then that we must first destroy their sanctuary."

"As part of this, on March 9th we conducted a joint forces operation here. We carried out extensive search operations using police, RAB, BGB, and the army. Some weapons were recovered and some terrorists were arrested. However, we could not achieve our target. I think that we couldn't because, for some reason or another, this information may have been leaked, causing them to become cautious beforehand."

However, the Home Minister claimed that the control land grabbers had maintained over Jungle Salimpur by installing CCTV cameras and guards has been broken. "This Alinagar, Jungle Salimpur — this area will no longer be an isolated terrorist zone, nor a sanctuary. There are two hill ranges nearby. One is Betua, and the other is a tea garden. We have learned that terrorists also have a presence in these areas. They will be evicted from here as well."

Jungle Salimpur is a specimen of the state of outlaws constructed by the Awami League over the past 17 years through rogue politics, the minister commented.

The minister also said that a road network will be built connecting Jungle Salimpur to Salimpur Union in Sitakunda, Bhatiari, and the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway via the Hatahzari Bypass. "Additionally, we have discussed what facilities can be created here for the police, BGB, RAB, other forces, and the cantonment. We are planning these things."

"The matter of establishing a prison facility here has been pending for many years — the issue of shifting the Chattogram Jail. A location has been identified on khas land near the Bayezid Link Road, where there is currently no habitation or settlement. The district administration will clarify this. Administrative approval for this was given a long time ago."

Furthermore, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that crackdown operations using joint forces will be conducted across the country to stop drugs, terrorism, gambling, and extortion.

During this time, the Home Minister was accompanied by Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Deputy Minister for Land and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs; Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain; Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Ali Hossain Fakir; and top officials of law enforcement agencies and the local administration.