He vanished on April 9, 2019. Allegedly picked up from Dhaka’s Shyamoli. For years, human rights groups called it a case of “enforced disappearance.”
The man was Michael Chakma — a leader of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), long accused of running armed operations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts under the cover of political activism.
Recently, a court sentenced him to eight years of rigorous imprisonment in an extortion case.
For years, his family and his party claimed he was abducted by state forces. His “return” in August 2024 — right after the regime change — reignited that controversy. Chakma said he had been held in a secret DGFI prison known as Aynaghar. That statement earned him sympathy as a victim of state repression, but it also dragged him back into the political spotlight.
Since his reappearance, tensions and violence in the Hill Tracts have surged. Multiple sources allege that under his direction, the UPDF has become bolder — reviving extortion networks, kidnappings, and armed operations. These shadow networks, long rumored to operate under the façade of political movements, are believed to fund and enforce the UPDF’s dominance in the region. Chakma is seen as one of the key “masterminds” behind them.
Now, new claims point to a darker chapter.
Sources say Chakma spent five years in India, conspiring against Bangladesh from across the border. In June 2024, he reportedly re-entered the country secretly — this time, to coordinate with Jamaat-e-Islami and map out an anti-government campaign.
According to credible intelligence, Jamaat financed him heavily to execute a three-stage sabotage plan:
1. Infiltrate student protests — use snipers to shoot demonstrators in the eyes and heads, spreading terror and chaos.
2. Attack the police — weaken law enforcement through targeted killings.
3. Trigger government collapse — then leverage the ensuing instability to gain foreign support.
Analysts warn: if Chakma’s links to Jamaat or other political forces are proven, this is not a regional dispute — it’s a national security threat.
But if the accusations are politically motivated, they risk undermining the moral strength of legitimate movements.
Either way, the situation demands more than propaganda. It calls for a transparent, evidence-based investigation.
The turmoil in the Hill Tracts after the recent power shift shows how deeply entangled protest, violence, and state response have become. Without restraint, truth, and dialogue, stability will remain a distant hope.
