The attack on Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members during an operation in Chinnamul area of Jungle Salimpur under Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram in Monday was allegedly carried out after announcements were made over a loudspeaker, according to witnesses, police and Rab officials.
They said the attackers dragged the Rab personnel out of a microbus, took them to an isolated area and beat them mercilessly for around two hours, causing death of Nayek Subedar Md Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan, deputy assistant director of Rab-7, and critical injuries to three others.
Local sources said Yasin -- president of Chinnamul Sangram Parishad of Jungle Salimpur and general secretary of the Alinagar Samabay Samity -- and his cohorts were involved in the attack.
Yasin was previously associated with Awami League but is now trying to act as a BNP activist, they added.
No one has been arrested in connection with the incident yet.
Rab-7 Chattogram Assistant Director (Media) ARM Mozzafar Hossain said 43 Rab members went to Jungle Salimpur to arrest armed criminals including Yasin and his associates. “After loudspeaker announcements alerted locals, around 400-500 miscreants attacked the team,” he said.
Nayek Subedar Md Motaleb and three other Rab members were critically injured and taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Chattogram after rescue, where doctors declared Motaleb dead.
Witnesses and sources said the inauguration of an "office of BNP" in Jungle Salimpur was scheduled for Monday afternoon, where Yasin and his associates were expected to be present.
The Rab-7 team was jointly led by Major Zalis Mahmud Khan and Major Arman.
“We went there based on information that some armed criminals, including murder case accused Nurul Haque Bhandari and Yasin, were present there. As we reached there on two microbuses, announcements were made over a loudspeaker and we came under attack,” Zalis said.
The attackers pulled Motaleb out of a microbus, and took him in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw with others. “We tried to negotiate with them for two hours. Later, with police assistance, the injured were rescued in critical conditions,” he said.
Locals mentioned there had been a longstanding rivalry over control of Jungle Salimpur between Yasin’s group and another led by Rokon Uddin -- an expelled Jubo Dal leader of Chattogram north district unit. In October last year, Yasin’s men allegedly killed a member of Rokon’s group and injured 14 others.
Babul Saodagar, a local resident who claimed to be a BNP leader in Ward-1, alleged, “We saw Rokon’s associate Mona with armed plainclothes men in two microbuses. They tried to detain some people. Thinking they were Rokon’s men, everyone attacked them.”
Asked about Mona, Major Zalis said, “We had an informant. He is also injured and admitted to the hospital.” Zalis declined to disclose his identity.
During a visit to Jungle Salimpur today, this correspondent found a photo of Sitakunda BNP-backed aspirant Aslam Chowdhury displayed at the tin-roof office.
Contacted, Sitakunda upazila unit BNP convener Kamal Qader said, “BNP neither has any committee in Jungle Salimpur nor any organisational activity there. Even though there are BNP supporters in the area, none of them hold any party post.”
Asked why Aslam Chowdhury’s photo was used in the office inaugurated there, Qader said, “I don’t know. We do not go that area, neither does Aslam Chowdhury. I’ve only heard Yasin’s name -- he recently tried to join BNP but he doesn’t hold any membership in the party,” he said.
Regarding the alleged announcement made over loudspeaker, Qader said, “Nothing can be said without an investigation. I was not there.”
Aslam could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
Later, his media wing sent a press note to the media.
“BNP had no involvement in the attack on Rab men in Jungle Salimpur. Allegations against BNP surfacing in different media are all baseless and untrue. Aslam Chowdhury never went to Jungle Salimpur; BNP does not have any organisational activity there. Involving the name of Aslam Chowdhury or BNP with the incident is a conspiracy by vested groups to take political advantage ahead of the national elections,” it read.
Meanwhile, according to an inquest report prepared by Bayezid Bostami Police Station at CMH Chattogram on Monday night, injury marks were found all over Motaleb’s body.
Zahedul Kabir, officer-in-charge of the police station, said the exact cause of death will be known after autopsy.
Motaleb, who earlier served with BGB-2 Teknaf Battalion before joining Rab on deputation in April 2024, is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.
His wife, Shamsunnahar, demanded exemplary punishment for those involved.
Rab Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman said a murder case will be filed over the incident. An investigation commission has been formed to examine any lapses in the operation, he added.
