UPDF central leader held in Rangamati

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bdnews24.com :
RAB has arrested central UPDF leader Ananda Prakash Chakma in Dhaka in connection with the murders of Rangamati Naniarchar Upazila Parishad Chairman Shaktiman Chakma, UPDF Ganatantrik chief Tapanjyati Chakma Barma and four others in Rangamati last year.
A team of law enforcers arrested Ananda Prakash during an operation in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area on Sunday, RAB-2 Company Commander Maj Mohammad Ali toldbdnews24.com.
“Ananda Prakash Chakma was living in hiding at his daughter’s home in the Agargaon Staff Colony. A RAB team took up positions in the area last night after receiving a tip. He was arrested this afternoon.” Ananda Prakash Chakma is the central office secretary of the Prasit Khisha-led UPDF. According to the Parbatya Chattogram Janasanghati Samity (JSS) and the United Peoples Democratic Front reformist faction, he had carried out the murders under orders from the organisation.
Prasit Bikash Khisha formed the UPDF after splitting off from the JSS in 1997 to protest the peace accord Shanta Larma signed with the government. Another faction of the JSS split off nearly a decade ago under the leadership of Shudha Shindu Khisha and came to be known as the JSS (MN Larma). Naniarchar Upazila Parishad Chairman Advocate Shaktiman hakma was the vice president of the JSS (MN Larma) central committee. Tapan Jyoti Chakma Barma had split off from the UPDF to form the UPDF (Democratic) faction two years ago.
 The UPDF (Democratic) and JSS (MN Larma) factions had become friendly in an attempt to maintain control over the Naniarchar area.
Armed clashes broke out between the various CHT factions last year. On May 3 Shaktiman Chakma was shot down on his way to an Upazila Parishad meeting. The next day five of his mourners, including Tapan Jyoti Chakma Barma, were gunned down on the way to his funeral.
According to RAB official Mohammad Ali, Ananda Prakash Chakma is named as a suspect in the cases over the six murders. The Shanta Larma faction of the JSS and the Prasit Khisha-led UPDF have denied their involvement in the murders.

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