Members of the joint forces conducted a seven-hour operation from dawn to noon on Monday in Jungle Salimpur of Sitakunda, Chittagong — an area long known as a haven for criminal groups.
Officials said the situation is now under control, additional forces have been deployed, and 15 people were detained during the operation.
RAB and police officials said drives are ongoing to arrest Yasin, identified as the mastermind behind the attack, adding that he would soon be brought to justice.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Monday afternoon, Lieutenant Colonel Hafizur Rahman, commander of RAB-7 Chittagong, said the operation that began at dawn concluded around 1pm.
“About 15 people have been detained in connection with the incident. Law enforcement agencies remain in control of the situation, and additional forces have been deployed to maintain security,” he said.
He said armed attackers suddenly opened fire on the camp around 1am on Monday, prompting RAB members to return fire in self-defence.
“To prevent additional forces from reaching the area, roads and culverts were cut at several points. Despite the obstacles, law enforcement personnel managed to reach the scene and bring the situation under control,” he added.
Several suspects were detained during the operation, although some attackers managed to flee.
Commenting on the latest attack in Jungle Salimpur, Chittagong Superintendent of Police (SP) Masud Alam said on Monday morning that the area represents a major financial interest for criminal networks.
“These are all linked to huge sums of money. As their vast empire worth crores of Taka is slipping out of their hands, they are resorting to violence before losing control entirely. No matter how much unrest they create, we will resist it,” he said.
He added that a large number of law enforcement personnel remain deployed in the area, and more forces would be sent if necessary, alongside stricter measures.
Regarding Yasin, identified as the main suspect behind the attack, the SP said the individual had recently become active in the area.
“We believe he may have backing from others. We are trying to identify those involved through investigation, and efforts are underway to bring them under the law quickly,” he said.
A group of armed criminals known as the “Yasin Bahini” launched a surprise attack on a joint forces camp in Jungle Salimpur, opening fire and demolishing part of an under-construction camp wall using bulldozers.
According to RAB and local sources, the attackers began firing continuously at the newly established joint forces camp in the Alinagar area around 1am. At one stage, they used excavators and bulldozers to damage several structures, destroying part of the camp infrastructure. The camp was scheduled to be inaugurated after Eid.
As the attackers used sophisticated firearms, RAB and police personnel returned fire in self-defence. The gunfight continued for nearly two hours.
However, because roads leading to the area had been cut off, additional joint forces had to leave their vehicles behind and travel on foot through hilly terrain, allowing the attackers to escape deeper into the hills.
For more than three decades, land grabbers and criminal groups had controlled government-owned khas land in Jungle Salimpur, effectively running their own stronghold.
After a RAB officer was killed during an operation there on January 19 this year, around 4,000 members of the joint forces launched a major drive on March 9 and declared the area under administrative control.
Although a permanent camp was later established there, the attackers demolished part of it in what officials believe was an attempt to re-establish their dominance in the area.
