Joint forces launch major raid in Sitakunda’s Jungle Salimpur

A joint force early today launched a large-scale operation in the Jungle Salimpur area of Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram, deploying around 4,000 personnel from the army, police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).

The operation began around 6:00am, with members of the joint forces cordoning off the entire area before conducting raids.

Additional Superintendent of Police (media) of Chattogram district police, Md Rasel, confirmed the operation this morning.

“Four thousand members of the joint forces are participating in the operation. Details of the operation will be disclosed later,” he said.

Jungle Salimpur, a remote hilly area, came under renewed scrutiny after a Rab officer was beaten to death by a group of criminals during an operation there in January.

Following the incident, the administration planned a coordinated drive to arrest armed criminals operating in the area. However, the operation was postponed as the national parliamentary election approached.

Jungle Salimpur covers about 1,256 acres of hilly land under Salimpur union of Sitakunda, around five kilometres from Chattogram city.

Law enforcers say the area has become a haven for criminals due to its difficult terrain and isolation.

According to district administration officials, around 3,070 acres of khas land lie under five mouzas—Jungle Latifpur, Jungle Salimpur, Jungle Bhatiyari, Jalalabad and Uttar Pahartali—of which nearly 30 percent is hilly.

Authorities say several armed groups have established control over parts of the area. Among them are gangs led by Md Yasin and Rokonuddin, who allegedly operate with their own armed followers.

The groups have reportedly developed housing plots by cutting hills and occupying public land, later selling the plots to buyers and earning crores of taka over the past two decades.

In the Alinagar and Chinnomul areas, Yasin is widely known as the “king”.

On October 4, 2025, a man was beaten and hacked to death and at least 14 others were injured in a clash between two groups over supremacy and land grabbing in Jungle Salimpur.

The following day, two television journalists were attacked while trying to report on the incident.

Police earlier arrested Yasin from Kotwali area of Chattogram on July 19, 2022, in connection with an attack on a union parishad member.

Members of his group are also accused of hill cutting, illegal possession of firearms and controlling the movement of locals in parts of the area.