# RAB Officer Killed in Ambush During Arms Recovery Operation in Chattogram

> A RAB officer, Motaleb Hossain Bhuiya, was killed during a weapons recovery operation in Salimpur, Sitakunda, Chattogram, after criminals ambushed the team. Four officers were seriously injured, three hospitalized. Sali…

Published: 2026-01-20 · Desk: Latest · Source: Prothom Alo

A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer was killed in an attack by criminals during a weapons recovery operation in the jungles of Salimpur, Sitakunda, Chattogram. The deceased has been identified as Motaleb Hossain Bhuiya, serving as Deputy Assistant Director of RAB-7. Several others were injured in the incident, which occurred on Monday evening.

When contacted, Ahsan Habib Palash, Deputy Inspector General of Chattogram Range, told Prothom Alo around 8:00 pm that a RAB officer of the DAD rank had been killed during the operation in Salimpur.

However, in a statement released later at 8:30 pm, RAB-7 Assistant Director (Media) ARM Mozzaffar Hossain said that RAB members came under attack by terrorists during the operation. Four members were seriously injured, including one officer who later died in hospital. The remaining three are receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

According to police and RAB sources, while conducting the weapons recovery mission in Salimpur, RAB personnel were ambushed by terrorists, who at one point seized some members and fired shots openly.

Salimpur forest is located approximately two kilometers west of Bayezid Bostami in Chattogram city, near Asian University for Women, covering 3,100 acres along the northern side of Link Road. While administratively part of Sitakunda, the area lies mostly within the city, bordered by Hathazari Upazila to the east and Bayezid police station to the south.

The remote hilly terrain has made Salimpur a safe haven for criminals. Following the political changes in the country on August 5, 2024, control over this area has been contested, leading to ongoing clashes and killings. Recently, shootings occurred between rival groups of criminals vying for dominance, resulting in one death. The next day, two journalists were attacked while reporting from the area.

Over the past four decades, thousands of illegal settlements have been established by cutting down hills, with hilltop land still being sold illegally. To maintain control, criminal groups have armed themselves and patrol the area continuously. Residents require ID cards to enter, and outsiders, including police and district officials, have repeatedly faced attacks when attempting to access the area.

On September 14, 2023, following the eviction of illegal settlements in Boraitola-2, Salimpur, around 20 officials, including Executive Magistrate Md. Umar Faruq and Officer-in-Charge Tofail Ahmed of Sitakunda police, were injured when residents threw cocktail bombs and bricks at them. Police opened fire to regain control.

Previously, in 2022, exchanges of gunfire occurred between RAB and criminals in Salimpur, and during eviction drives in August and September, local criminals attacked police and administrative personnel attempting to remove illegal structures.

Original reporting: https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/zk7smo27k3?fbclid=IwY2xjawPb-ZtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZR2prWnlyemRaemZObnZIc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHr8hV6gTg7UD2TzdVheXjORfUieSSGDymah3tOaAbiHjQFrbBpHSOSh1-rGh_aem_30Y8yCU3GT2Gvz7DHTHYtA
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