Two separate cases—one under Arms Act and another case for extortion—were filed with Dighinala police station.

The arrestees were identified as Bidho Bhusan Chakma alias Anik, 51, Samar Bijoy Chakma alias Nibedon Chakma, 36, Purna Jobon Chakma alias Digonta Chakma, 42, and Prottoy Chakma alias Priti, 42.

Officer-in-Charge of Dighinala police station Uttam Chandra Dev said based on secret information, the security forces conducted a special drive at Vitor Banchoora area early in the morning and arrested the four UPDF members.

Searching them, two foreign pistols, three magazines, 40 rounds of bullets, eight mobile phone sets, ten SIM cards, receipt books for collecting extortion money, and a total of Tk 5.74 lakh, were recovered from their possessions.

In the eyes of the law enforcers, the arrestees are active members of UPDF, which they describe as an “anti-CHT Peace Treaty armed group,” and actively involved in toll collection. UPDF’s official position on the CHT treaty, is one of ‘skepticism’. They have at times been involved in armed violence, as other political parties in  Bangladesh.

Prottoy Chakma alias Priti is a former Union Parishad member, Bidho Bhosan Chakma is a chief collector of Dighinala Unit, Samar Bikash Chakma is the collector of Dighinala Karbari Tila area, and Purna Chakma is also a collector of Dighinala unit.

Meanwhile, UPDF in a press statement on Wednesday admitted that the arrested four people are their members. The statement signed by Niran Chakma of Publicity and Publication department of the organisation, demanded unconditional release of the arrested four UPDF members immediately.