Jungle Salimpur will no Longer be a Terrorist Haven: Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has declared that Jungle Salimpur will no longer be allowed to serve as a sanctuary for isolated criminal networks. Speaking to journalists after inspecting the area on Sunday morning (May 31), the Minister vowed to dismantle the criminal hubs that have plagued the region for nearly two decades.

"For the past 17 years, the Alinagar-Jungle Salimpur area was treated as a safe haven for criminals," the Home Minister said. "We are going to completely clear this region through well-planned, joint law enforcement operations. Similar targeted drives will also be launched in the neighboring Betua and Tea Garden areas to flush out hidden networks."

The Minister emphasized that the government is launching a zero-tolerance crackdown on four specific national plagues: drugs, terrorism, gambling and extortion.

Highlighting severe gaps in the country's aging legal framework, Ahmed revealed that the government is pushing for major legislative reforms to tackle modern crimes:

New Gambling Act: Pointing out that the colonial-era Public Gambling Act of 1867 is entirely useless against modern online betting and digital gambling rackets, the Minister announced that a new law is being drafted. The government aims to introduce this legal reform in the upcoming parliamentary session.

Special Narcotics Tribunals: To address the thousands of drug cases currently choked up in the judicial system for years, updates to the Narcotics Control Act will include forming special tribunals for speedy trials.

Juvenile Gang Reforms: The Minister expressed deep concern over the rise of teenage gang culture, noting that syndicates exploit legal loopholes regarding minors to groom children into organized criminals. He stated that legal reforms are actively being evaluated to effectively prosecute juvenile crime.

"Through strict legal updates, coordinated law enforcement campaigns, and strategic field operations, we aim to protect our youth and build a safer society," the Minister concluded.

A high-profile delegation accompanied the Home Minister during the field visit, including State Minister for Land Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Ali Hossain Fakir and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, alongside top regional military, police, and RAB-7 commanders.