The administration is set to launch a large-scale coordinated joint operation in the Baharchhara hills of Teknaf to dismantle criminal networks involved in kidnapping, ransom demands and human trafficking.
Officials said the operation will be modelled on the earlier crackdown in the “Jungle Salimpur” hills of Sitakunda, where law enforcement dismantled entrenched criminal hideouts through sustained action.
The decision was finalised at a four-hour-long Law and Order Committee meeting held in Teknaf on Saturday.
The meeting was chaired by Cox’s Bazar District Commissioner Md A Mannan and attended by Cox’s Bazar-4 MP and District BNP President Shahjahan Chowdhury, BGB Ramu Sector Commander Colonel Muhiddin Ahmed, and Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Anique Chowdhury, among others.
Crackdown strategy and security measures
The committee decided to establish permanent police outposts in identified kidnapping hotspots and intensify combing operations to recover illegal firearms. Special emphasis was also placed on tightening monitoring over movement in and out of nearby Rohingya camps, which authorities say are being exploited by criminal syndicates.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the situation in the Baharchhara hills as “horrific” due to the expansion of ransom-related criminal activities. Participants at the meeting drew parallels with the former criminal stronghold of Jungle Salimpur, saying only a coordinated large-scale operation could restore order.
Legal concerns and political stance
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, MP Shahjahan Chowdhury said the special session was convened specifically to address crimes involving the misuse of Rohingya communities.
“A coordinated joint operation against these criminal groups will be carried out very soon,” he said, adding that authorities were also considering measures to prevent repeat offences after alleged “easy bail” from courts. He reaffirmed his commitment to turning Teknaf into a “safe and peaceful settlement”.
Local proposals for joint action
Local representatives also stressed the urgency of action. Baharchhara Union Parishad Chairman Amjad Hossain Khokon proposed forming a dedicated joint-force committee to reduce public fear over abductions.
“Setting up outposts at abduction-prone locations is essential; otherwise, these crimes cannot be prevented,” he said, also urging authorities to finalise a list of kidnappers and human traffickers so they can be brought under the full force of the law.
Officials assured that preparations for compiling such a list and launching the joint operation would be expedited to strengthen security in the hill tract region.
