Joint forces launch raid in Jungle Salimpur

On Jan 19, RAB Nayek Subedar Motaleb Hossain Bhuiya was killed in an attack during an operation in the area

The joint forces have kicked off raids in Chattogram’s Jungle Salimpur are to detain criminals.

Chattogram Additional Superintendent of Police Russell said the operation began on Monday morning.

On Jan 19, Nayek Subedar Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan, a member of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), was killed in an attack by “local criminals” in Sitakunda’s Jungle Salimpur.

At that time, RAB-7 said the raid was conducted to arrest “armed criminals”.

RAB members came under sudden attack during the raid. An estimated 400 to 500 criminals launched the surprise attack on RAB following announcements over a loudspeaker.

As he attended the funeral of the deceased RAB member, RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman announced joint operations to clear Jungle Salimpur of “criminals and illegal occupation.”

Although Jungle Salimpur falls under Sitakunda Upazila administratively, the area has to be entered through Banglabazar under Bayezid Thana in Chattogram. Jungle Salimpur is on the right on the way to Bhatiari via Bayezid Link Road.

Spread across 3,100 acres of Khas land, the area is a risky settlement built on a hillock and has been described as an “impenetrable empire”.

In 2022, the government planned to free the Khas land and build various facilities, including the Chattogram Central Jail, Sports Village, Cricket Stadium, Iconic Mosque, and Eco Park. At that time, the administration and law enforcing agencies confronted repeated obstacles in the eviction drive. The district administration had set up a “hill management camp and check post” there during the ongoing efforts.

After the political changeover on Aug 5, 2024, activity by “local criminals” increased once again. There were several clashes and killings.

On Oct 4, 2025, a clash broke out between the Yasin and Rokon-Ghafur groups in the Alinagar area of Jungle Salimpur. At that time, a member of the Rokon group was shot and killed. Several others were injured.

Journalists went to the scene to cover the incident, but two of them were attacked by the locals.

Then on Jan 19, RAB member Motaleb was killed during the raid.