229 sued, three arrested

Three people were arrested in a case filed yesterday in connection with the killing of a Rab official during an operation in Jungle Salimpur of Sitakunda upazila on January 19.

Rab arrested two FIR-listed accused, Md Yunush Ali Howlader, 62, and Khandakar Jahid Hossain, 39, during drives in different areas and handed them over to Sitakunda Model Police Station, said Rab-7 Assistant Director (Media) ARM Mozzafar Hossain.

Meanwhile, police arrested another accused, Md Arif, according to Sitakunda police.

A deputy assistant director of Rab-7 filed the case with Sitakunda Model Police Station, accusing 29 named and 200 unnamed people of killing the Rab official, injuring three others, and looting firearms, said Officer-in-Charge Mahinul Islam.

Among the named accused are Yasin, president of the Chinnamul Sangram Parishad of Jungle Salimpur, Nurul Haque Bhandari, and Jamai Yasin, whom police said are linked to Alinagar Samabay Samity.

During the January 19 attack, Nayek Subedar Md Motaleb Hossain Bhuiyan, a deputy assistant director of Rab-7, and three other members of the elite force were injured.

Law enforcement officials said the injured were rescued and taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Chattogram, where doctors declared Motaleb dead.

The deceased officer had been serving with BGB-2 Teknaf Battalion before joining Rab on deputation in April 2024.

Describing the incident, ARM Mozzafar Hossain said a team of 43 Rab members went to Jungle Salimpur in Salimpur union that afternoon to arrest armed criminals.

“Following announcements made through loudspeakers, 400 to 500 people gathered and assaulted the team,” he said.