A group of armed miscreants launched an attack on a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) camp in the Alinagar area of Jungle Salimpur in Sitakunda, Chattogram, at around 2:00 am on Monday. During the attack, bulldozers were used to demolish the camp’s walls and other infrastructure. Roads were also dug up at least three locations in an attempt to obstruct operations by law enforcement agencies.

Lieutenant Colonel Hafizur Rahman confirmed the matter to Bonik Barta.

He said members of the Yasin group attacked in a planned manner. When gunfire was directed at the camp, RAB personnel returned fire in self-defence. As roads were cut off, members of the force had to leave their vehicles behind and reach the scene on foot.

RAB detained several people during the operation.

Due to the damaged roads, members of the force had to leave their vehicles at a distance and walk to the site.

On March 9, law enforcement agencies took control of Jungle Salimpur through a joint operation involving around 3,200 members of the army, RAB, police, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The area contains around 3,100 acres of government-owned land that had long been under the control of land grabbers and armed groups, according to the district administration.

Following the joint operation, the government announced plans to establish two training centres for the police and RAB in the area. Construction of the RAB camp in Alinagar had been underway as part of that initiative. The camp was damaged in today’s attack.

Although 22 people were arrested during the earlier operation, several suspects — including Md Yasin, leader of the Yasin group, and Rokon Uddin, leader of the Rokon group — remain absconding.