Army-led joint forces launch massive operation in Jungle Salimpur slum

Army-led joint forces have launched a large-scale combing operation in the Jungle Salimpur slum in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram, targeting criminal networks and illegal arms in one of the country’s most crime-prone areas.

Security forces began the operation early Tuesday after surrounding the vast slum settlement located in a remote hilly area on the outskirts of Chattogram city. Law enforcement teams moved through narrow lanes, houses and surrounding hills to search for suspects and recover illegal weapons.

Deputy Inspector General of Chattogram Range Police Nazmul Hasan said the operation will continue until the area is cleared of criminal groups and illegal arms. He told journalists that the joint forces will remain deployed in the area until law enforcement authorities are satisfied that the security situation has been stabilised. Several suspected criminals had already been detained during the drive by the afternoon, officials said.

Authorities described the operation as one of the largest security drives conducted in the Jungle Salimpur area. Around 4,000 personnel from multiple security agencies are participating in the operation, including members of the armed forces, police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Armed Police Battalion (APBN).

Law enforcement officials sealed all entry and exit points to the settlement as the operation began. Temporary checkpoints have been set up around the area while different teams of officers are conducting searches across the slum and nearby hills. Surveillance helicopters and drones are being used to monitor the operation from the air, while dog squads are assisting officers in locating hidden weapons and illegal materials.

Officials said the large-scale drive follows instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs after a deadly attack earlier this year. On 19 January 2026, Rapid Action Battalion officer Abdul Motaleb Bhuiyan was killed when armed criminals opened fire during a raid inside the slum. The earlier operation was halted after the attack on law enforcement personnel.

Security officials say the current operation aims to dismantle organised criminal groups operating in the area and recover illegal weapons. DIG Nazmul Hasan said authorities are also considering establishing a permanent outpost for joint forces in Jungle Salimpur to ensure long-term security and prevent criminals from regrouping.

Jungle Salimpur, located in a hilly area covering about 3,100 acres, has developed over time into a large informal settlement where more than 30,000 people live. Officials say the area expanded through illegal hill cutting and unplanned land development, creating a complex terrain that has made law enforcement operations difficult.

Authorities say the settlement has long been used by criminal groups involved in illegal arms trading, drug trafficking, land grabbing and violent clashes between rival gangs. The area has also served as a hideout for offenders fleeing from other parts of the country after committing crimes.

Officials said the ongoing operation is intended to dismantle these criminal networks and restore law and order in the region.