Police have detained three men in Chhagalnaiya, Feni, after they allegedly posed as police officers to search residents’ mobile phones and extort money from the local community.
The incident occurred on Saturday night (5 September) in Uttar Jashpur village, situated within the Mahamaya Union of the upazila. The suspects have been identified as Imam Hossain, 28, son of the late Rahim Ullah from Bashpara village; Najmul Haq Munna, 38, son of Kabir Ahammad from the same village; and Rajib Hossain, 36, son of Firoz Ahmed from Dakshin Jashpur village.
According to local accounts, the trio entered the village late in the evening, claiming to be active police personnel on duty. They began confronting passers-by and villagers, demanding to search their mobile phones under the pretense of an official investigation. As the men grew increasingly aggressive, local residents became suspicious of their credentials and conduct. The confrontation escalated rapidly, resulting in the villagers apprehending and assaulting the trio before alerting the authorities.
A police team from Chhagalnaiya Police Station responded to the call, arrived at the scene, and formally took the three suspects into custody. Police records reveal that two of the detainees are repeat offenders with significant criminal histories. Imam Hossain currently faces two existing criminal cases at Chhagalnaiya Police Station, whilst Najmul Haq Munna has eight pending cases lodged against him.
Confirming the detentions, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chhagalnaiya Police Station, Abu Taher, stated that the group belonged to an organised racket targeting unsuspecting citizens. He explained that the suspects routinely impersonated law enforcement officials to intimidate members of the public, inspect their personal belongings, and demand substantial sums of money under threat of arrest.
Police confirmed that formal legal proceedings are under way, with a fresh criminal case being prepared against the suspects. Impersonation of police officers and opportunistic extortion remain recurring challenges across regional hubs in Bangladesh. Authorities continue to urge citizens to request official identification cards or badge numbers whenever confronted by individuals claiming to represent law enforcement agencies.
