Twenty-two people were arrested and three cases were filed over the recovery of a large quantity of arms, ammunition, and explosives during a joint force operation in the remote hilly areas of Jungle Salimpur in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram.
Chattogram Range deputy inspector general of police Ahsan Habib Palash disclosed the information at a press conference held at his office in the port city’s Khulshi area on Tuesday afternoon.
He said that members of the joint forces had searched suspected hideouts, risky settlements, hill tracks, secret structures and possible locations of criminals during the operation.
Various CCTV cameras and watchtowers set up by armed groups in the hilly area have been identified during the extensive raid, which were used to monitor the movement of law enforcement personnel. The surveillance network was almost entirely destroyed during the operation, said the DIG.
The DIG said that no casualty was reported during the operation, adding that the entire area was now under the control of the law enforcement agencies. The law and order situation in Jangal Salimpur and Alinagar remained normal, he added.
Ahsan Habib Palash said that though no major listed criminal had been found, the law enforcement agencies had been able to establish their control in the area, adding that criminals would not be able to stay hidden there in the future while two temporary camps had been set up in the area to maintain law and order.
The two camps, he added, are sufficient for now and the area would remain under control through regular raids, checkpoints and patrols. The number of camps might be increased if necessary, he said.
He said that people as well as government officials had long been afraid of entering Jungle Salimpur adding that the operation had been conducted to remove the fear.
Besides, he added, the armed criminals had fled the area because of the joint operation while regular patrol teams would now visit the area and checkpoints would be set up.
The district administration will take steps for infrastructure development to ensure easier access to the area as the roads are now in poor condition, he further said.
Replying to a question about who had patronised the armed groups in Jungle Salimpur, DIG Palash said that weak communication facilities in the remote hilly area were creating some difficulties in conducting law enforcement activities.
‘It was primarily suspected that armed groups had received support from some vested quarters and land grabbers and the district administration would take legal action in this regard,’ he remarked.
He added that the authorities would also consider the economic condition of the people living there and rehabilitation might be considered if needed.
On the escape of top criminals before the joint force raid, the DIG said, ‘There are always some limitations in conducting such a large-scale operation. In this age, even a slight movement becomes known. Personally, I did not expect a greater success than this. No criminal will be able to stay here from now on.’
At the press conference, he said that 22 people had been detained during the operation. Besides, three firearms -- a locally made pistol, a foreign-made pistol and a locally made gun -- were recovered during the raid.
The joint forces also recovered 27 locally made pipe guns, three pistol magazines, 27 pipes used for making firearms, 61 cartridges and about 1,113 rounds of ammunition of different types.
They also seized 11 crude bombs, 18 hacksaw blades and various tools used in making weapons, including hammers, pliers, wrenches, and a drilling machine.
The coordinated drive was launched in Jungle Salimpur, Alinagar and adjacent areas on Monday at about 5:00am following instructions from the home ministry.
Members of the army, police, Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh and Armed Police Battalion took part in the raid and carried out a combing operation after surrounding the area from all sides.
The press conference was told that a total of 3,183 members of different forces took part in the operation.
The included 487 members of the Bangladesh Army, 146 members of the district police, 800 members of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police, 400 members of the Range Reserve Force Chattogram, 100 members of Feni district police, 300 members from the hill district police, 330 members of APBn, 122 members of the BGB and 371 members of the RAB.
Seven executive magistrates were also assigned to the operation.
Three helicopters, 15 armoured personnel carriers, three dog squads and 12 drones were used in the action.
After 10:00am, aerial surveillance was conducted using drones and helicopters.
A dog squad was also used to detect arms and explosives hidden in bushes in the hills or under the ground.
Jungle Salimpur has long remained a crime-prone area.
On January 19, a member of RAB-7, nayek subedar Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan, was killed in an attack by locals during an operation in the area.
At the time, the RAB said, its members had come under attack by around 400 to 500 miscreants after launching an operation to arrest armed criminals there.
Settlements in the hilly area reportedly began in 2004, initially as shelters for destitute and landless people. Later, several groups emerged to control the occupied hilly land.
The area, spreading over around 3,100 acres of khas land, has over the years become notorious for illegal settlements, and repeated armed turf wars among rival groups.
In 2022, the government took steps to clear the occupied land for projects, including the Chattogram Central Jail, a sports village, a cricket stadium, an iconic mosque, and an eco-park, but repeated resistance obstructed the efforts.
After the political changeover on August 5, 2024, the activities of local armed groups reportedly increased again, with several clashes and killings taking place.
On October 4, 2025, a clash between the Yasin group and the Rokon-Gafur group at Alinagar left one member of the Rokon group dead and several others injured.
Police, district administration officials, journalists and other people were also attacked on different occasions during earlier attempts to enter the area.
