Hill Voice, 6 February 2023, Rangamati: The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandraghona Police Station under Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati District has allegedly extorted money from the families of four local activists of Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) by showing orders to confiscate property. It is said that the OC has already collected a total of 61 thousand taka from the four families.

According to local sources, there is a false case with Chandraghona Police Station against Assistant General Secretary of Kaptai Thana Committee of JSS and former UP member Thowai Shwe Nue Karbari, Assistant General Secretary of Raikhali Union Committee of JSS Meiphamong Marma, Mongkhaiching Marma and Mongshwepru Marma Bachchu. The four activists of JSS have been fleeing from home for several days fearing arrest by the army and attack and abduction by army-backed Mog Party terrorists.

Meanwhile, OC Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury of Chandraghona police station has been threatening that orders have been issued to confiscate the property of the four JSS activists in the case pending in the court.

A family member of a JSS activist, who did not wish to be named, said that he had already gone to the police station and read the order. However, the OC did not give him the copy of the order. At this time, OC Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury said that the order to seize the property will be sent to the families of all the accused at any time.

Several family members of the victims of the false case, who did not want to be named, said that OC Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury had already collected Tk 61,000 from the members of four families by showing the property seizure order.

Among them, the family of Thowai Shwe Nue Karbari have given Tk 21,000, the family of Meiphamong Marma Tk 20,000, the family of Thuisaching Marma (he is JSS activist Mongkhaiching Marma’s younger brother) Tk 10,000 and the family of Mongshwepru Marma have deposited Tk 10,000 to the OC.

It is said that on 5 February 2023, OC Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury demanded money from the family of an activist named Saching Marma.

A Jumma lawyer, who did not wish to be named, said there is no provision for seizure of property by the administration or the police force without a court order. If the accused person is convicted by the judgment of the case filed and if the court orders attachment of property, then only such order for confiscation of property can be issued. But the lawyer said that there is no question of confiscating the property before pronouncing the sentence.

Subarna Chakma, the former president of Rangamati district branch of JSS said that the OC of Chandraghona police station is carrying out this misdeed as a part of the current government’s efforts to destroy the leadership of JSS with the state forces in order to spoil the ongoing movement for implementation of CHT Accord as well as the right to self-determination of the Jumma people led by JSS.