A haven for criminals
Criminal activities in Jungle Salimpur and adjacent areas used to make headlines more often than not.
The geographical location of the area quite easily turns it into a shelter for criminals, including drug peddlers, murderers, and firearm suppliers, as no law enforcer can enter the area without prior notice and permission from community leaders.
In early 2004, Jungle Salimpur was home to displaced migrants and criminals, who would hide in the settlements to avoid getting arrested after committing crimes in different areas.
One Lal Badsha used to hold the reins of the area and shelter several criminals at that time. He established several slums by cutting hills.
Later, Ali Abbas entered the scene and naturally, started a rivalry with Lal Badsha. In 2010, several clashes took place between the two gangs on the hills over establishing supremacy in the area.
Lal Badsha was killed in a "shootout" with Rab on May 23, 2010.
Another known godfather of the area is Mashiur, general secretary of Chattogram Mohanagar Chhinnomul Songrami Bostibasi Somonnoy Parishad. Law enforcement agencies said Mashiur has at least 27 cases against him over rape, murder, kidnapping and land grabbing.
Though Moshiur was arrested on multiple occasions, he managed to get out of prison and returned to his gang, said Rab and police. Rab sources said Moshiur was arrested by Rab-7 on October 23 in 2017. From his house, Rab later seized 16 firearms and 26 rounds of bullets. Later, he secured bail in the case.
Moshiur was arrested again by Rab on December 6, 2021 for possessing five firearms and 13 rounds of bullets.
In Ali-Nagar, Yasin is the chief of another gang that has established a reign of terror. He has made a huge amount of money by illegally selling the government Khas land to migrants, according to police.
Yasin was arrested in July for assaulting government officials.
No one stays in Jungle Salimpur and Ali Nagar without paying tolls to the gang members, who control the entry and exit of every single being in the area. Locals have alleged that the gang members have often been spotted at different political programmes in Sitakunda, indicating their strong political affiliations.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Sitakunda Circle) Ashraful Karim said, "Hooligans have made several establishments in the guise of landless slum dwellers to control the area. Whenever police or the administration attempted to enter the area, they would form a human shield and attack on-duty policemen from the hills."
Rab-7 commanding officer Lt Col MA Yousuf said a Rab camp has been set up in the area to take action against the criminals after a meeting on July 31.
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