A formal legal case has been lodged against Md Arman Uddin, the personal assistant to Chattogram-15 Member of Parliament and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami central working committee member Shahjahan Chowdhury, accusing him of demanding an extortion payment of BDT 2 million. Six other individuals have also been named as co-accused in the charges filed at a local judicial magistrate court.
The complaint was registered by Amir Hossain, an expatriate resident from the Amirabad area of Lohagara, before Chattogram Judicial Magistrate Khadija Akter. The details of the filing surfaced publicly on Monday, a day after the legal proceedings were initiated.
According to lawyer Kabir Jilan, who represents the plaintiff, the court has officially recorded the preliminary statements and directed the assistant superintendent of police for the Satkania circle to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations.
Alongside the personal assistant, the other named defendants include Md Arif Uddin, Shawkat Ali, Md Adil, Md Anwar, and Zainal Abedin.
Allegations of Intimidation and Property Damage
The court petition outlines that the plaintiff owns a four-storey building located in the Aziz Complex area of Lohagara, featuring various commercial shops on the ground floor and tenants occupying the upper residential levels. Following the plaintiff’s return from working abroad, the defendants allegedly initiated systematic pressure, demanding BDT 2 million under the guise of extortion.
The situation escalated significantly in the early hours of 3 April, when several individuals allegedly forced entry into the building by breaking the locks on a tenant’s shop. The complaint states that goods valued at approximately BDT 1,158,659—including a steel almirah and a wall showcase—were removed from the premises, alongside BDT 120,000 in cash from the cash register. The intruders then reportedly secured the shop with new locks.
Further accusations detail that the accused parties attempted to exert control over tenancy arrangements within the property, demanding that other occupants pay rent exclusively through their channels.
Physical Confrontation and Demands
Matters peaked during a meeting at the market premises on the morning of 20 August. During this gathering, Md Arif Uddin allegedly reiterated the financial demand, warning that failure to pay the BDT 2 million would result in forced eviction from the shops and residential units. Simultaneously, the MP’s personal assistant allegedly contacted the plaintiff by mobile phone, pressing him to comply with their directives.
The altercation reportedly turned physical when the group subjected the plaintiff to verbal abuse and physical assault, leaving him with injuries across various parts of his body.
Explaining his decision to bypass local law enforcement, the plaintiff stated that he approached the judicial system because local police stations initially declined to register his complaint. He is now seeking a thorough, impartial investigation and subsequent legal recourse. Efforts by reporters to reach the accused personal assistant via mobile phone and text message for comment yielded no response.
Legal proceedings will continue as the assigned police official reviews the evidence and prepares an inquiry report for the magistrate court.
