Police Brutality and Extortion Turn Moulvibazar into a Human Rights Graveyard: Top officers of the government and the Police are involved

The district of Moulvibazar is now at the epicenter of an unfolding human rights crisis, where innocent civilians are being subjected to mass arrests, police brutality, and extortion under the watch of top government officials. Allegations have surfaced against the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Israil Hossain, Superintendent of Police (SP) M.K.H. Jahangir Hossain, Jail Superintendent, and the Detective Branch (DB) of police for orchestrating a campaign of systematic repression against the poor and powerless.

Hundreds of citizens-most with no named charges against them-are being forcibly detained from their homes, shops, markets, and even mosques. In the name of "anti-discrimination drives," police have unleashed an unrelenting campaign of brutality: kicking down doors, beating civilians in front of their families, and arresting people without warrants or legal justification.

Once jailed, detainees are often eligible for bail through the courts. Yet even High Court orders are being deliberately obstructed. Jail officials, especially Deputy Jailer Tania Farzana, reportedly intercept bail documents, photograph them, and relay the information to the DC, SP, and a circle of corrupt brokers. Victims say that instead of being released, detainees are re-arrested by DB police under false charges-sometimes within hours of being granted bail.

This brutal cycle is enforced with violence. Witnesses recount horrific scenes outside the Moulvibazar jail gate: families waiting to receive loved ones are physically assaulted, beaten with batons, and chased away in the dark after the jail lights are intentionally shut off. Freed detainees are ambushed and dragged away by plainclothes officers, who later claim arrests from "unknown locations."

Police brutality doesn't stop there. Inside the Moulvibazar District Jail, detainees are reportedly tortured, denied medical care, and routinely beaten. Sick inmates are left untreated unless bribes are paid. The goal is clear: break them physically, drain them financially, and silence them indefinitely.

Extortion is the fuel behind this repression. Families report selling everything-from land and homes to cattle and gold jewelry-to pay bribes as high as 500,000 to 1 million BDT (approx. $5,000-$10,000 USD) just to see their loved ones walk free. Even then, many find themselves back behind bars after being re-targeted by DB police under new fabricated cases.

Human rights defenders allege that a portion of these illicit funds is funneled into the political operations of Jamaat-e-Islami and a newly emerging political party. Meanwhile, the district's media remains silenced. Journalists aware of these abuses are reportedly barred from publishing the truth under threat and pressure.

Moulvibazar-a district once known for peace and its overseas community-has become a zone of fear, where law enforcement no longer protects but terrorizes. The poor and powerless are now hostages in their own homeland.

The people of Moulvibazar, alongside rights activists, are demanding an immediate end to these illegal arrests, the release of innocent detainees, and a full independent investigation into the widespread police brutality and administrative corruption plaguing the district.

This is not law enforcement. This is lawlessness in uniform.