Rule of law established in Jungle Salimpur after drive, 22 arrests made: Divisional commissioner

The number of detainees in the joint forces' operation in Jungle Salimpur of Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram has risen to 22 following extended searches in the area, officials said, updating an earlier figure of 12 arrests announced after the drive began yesterday (9 March).

Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md Ziauddin said the operation had helped establish the rule of law in the area, which had long faced allegations of criminal activities, illegal arms stockpiling and hill cutting for plot sales. He made the remarks at a briefing at the Chattogram Range DIG office this afternoon (10 March).

He said the local administration and law enforcement agencies would work with the government to recover around 3,100 acres of illegally occupied khas land in Jungle Salimpur. Authorities also plan to undertake infrastructure development to ease movement in the remote hill locality.

More than 3,000 members of the army, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Range Reserve Force (RRF) took part in the operation that began at 5:30am yesterday.

Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General Md Ahsan Habib Palash said three helicopters, 15 armoured personnel carriers, three dog squads and 12 drones were deployed during the drive in the rugged terrain.

RAB-7 commanding officer Lt Col Md Hafizur Rahman said the operation was planned in phases and the first phase had been successful, with two temporary camps of RAB and police already established in the area.

He said the drive had sent a strong message to criminals, many of whom fled the area after the operation began but have not been able to leave the country. Efforts are underway to locate them, officials said.