RAB official killed, 3 injured in attack during Sitakunda operation

A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) member was killed and three others were seriously injured during an operation in the Jangal Salimpur area of Sitakunda on Monday afternoon.

The deceased has been identified as Naib Subedar Md. Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan. The injured—Constable Rifatul, Lance Naik Imam, and Naik Ariful—are currently receiving medical treatment.

According to RAB-7 and Chattogram District Police, the incident occurred around 6:00 PM when a RAB team entered the hilly terrain for a sanctioned operation. A group of local miscreants launched a sudden attack on the personnel, using the elevated geography to their advantage.

"One member was critically injured, while several others were briefly confined by the attackers," said Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Russel. "The injured official was rushed to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), where doctors pronounced him dead."

Following the attack, senior officials from both the police and RAB arrived with reinforcements to rescue the detained personnel and restore order.

A Stronghold of Crime Jangal Salimpur, spanning approximately 3,100 acres, has long been a flashpoint for violence. The area is notorious for illegal hill-grabbing, with an estimated Tk30,000 crore worth of government-owned 'khas' land currently occupied by organized gangs.

Since the political transition on August 5, territorial disputes in the area have intensified. Law enforcement and journalists have faced frequent hostility; in 2023, an executive magistrate and 20 police officers were injured in a similar ambush.

Despite government plans for an IT park and a new prison on the site, criminal dominance and the difficult terrain continue to stall development and recovery efforts.