Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has successfully apprehended Mohammad Selim Ashrafi, also known as Chua Selim or Chora Selim, a notorious figure in the Geneva (Bihari) Camp of Mohammadpur and the head of the Chua Selim group, implicated in numerous drug trafficking operations and multiple murder cases.
The arrest took place in the early hours of Thursday (9 January) night, in front of Lab Aid Hospital, situated in Dhaka's Dhanmondi area, said ASP Khan Asif Topu of RAB-2.
Selim, infamous for creating terror in the Geneva Camp, had been undergoing treatment at the hospital.
He was taken into custody once the medical discharge was issued. His criminal record spans 35 cases across various police stations, including charges of murder and drug trafficking.
Selim had been clandestinely receiving treatment after being shot by a rival faction in the Geneva Camp on 4 September.
Four months later, upon his release from the hospital, he was captured by RAB.
Geneva Camp, known for its lucrative drug trade, has long been a battleground for control over narcotics worth millions.
The rivalry escalated during the country's recent turmoil, particularly following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, leading to deadly confrontations involving stolen weapons from local police stations. These clashes resulted in at least five fatalities in recent months.
Residents recount that a few years back, the camp's drug operations were dominated by two individuals, Nadim Hossain, alias Pachish, and Ishtiaq.
Both amassed substantial wealth through their illicit activities and maintained private armies.
In July 2018, Pachish was killed in a RAB "crossfire" in Purbachal, and Ishtiaq reportedly fled to India, later succumbing to COVID-19 during the pandemic, according to camp folklore.
In the absence of Pachish and Ishtiaq, two factions emerged vying for control over the camp's multimillion-dollar drug trade.
One faction, led by Buniya Sohel, and the other by Chua Selim.
Buniya Sohel later joined forces with another leader, Babu alias Syedpur Babu, representing the Syedpur faction from Nilphamari.
The political upheaval exacerbated the conflict, frequently bringing Geneva Camp into the news. On 31 October, RAB arrested Buniya Sohel and 12 others in Sylhet's Kotwali and Habiganj's Madhabpur areas.
Two months later, RAB detained Chua Selim, transferring him to Mohammadpur Police Station after the legal proceedings were completed.
