Army, RAB, Police, BGB to launch joint pincer operation against Kuki-Chin
The operation will continue till the KNF are eliminated in the district, Khandker Al Moin, director of the Legal and Media Wing of RAB, said at a briefing.
Bangladeshi security forces and law enforcement agencies will launch a pincer operation against the armed hill group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in Bandarban following a string of bank robberies, kidnapping and attacks on security checkposts in the district.
Five cases were filed in Bandarban over the incidents while the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) handed over the rescued Sonali Bank branch manager to his family after a press briefing on Friday (5 April).
At the briefing, RAB officials said the army, police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and RAB will be involved in the pincer operation.
The operation will continue till the KNF are eliminated in the district, Khandker Al Moin, director of the Legal and Media Wing of RAB, said at the briefing.
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The operation will include all kinds of tactics followed in an anti-terrorist drive in the hills, he said.
He said there are two possible motives of the criminals behind the armed bank robberies and looting in the past few days in Bandarban. First, looting money and confiscating weapons. Second, demonstrate competence.
"The KNF wants to show its supporters and rival armed groups that they are a powerful armed group," he added.
They were given a chance to return to normal life and a peace establishment committee was working under the leadership of the zilla parishad chairman, he said.
"But the KNF terrorists recklessly carried out various criminal activities including bank robbery, kidnapping, looting weapons, and firing at police camps," said Moin.
5 cases filed
Five cases have been filed in Bandarban over the robberies, looting weapons and kidnapping of the manager of a Sonali Bank branch in Bandarban's Ruma.
"Three cases have been filed with Ruma Police Station and two with Thanchi Police Station against unidentified persons in connection with the bank robberies," Abdul Karim, additional superintendent of Bandarban Police, told TBS.
"Process is underway to file another case in Alikadam over the attack on the joint army-police checkpost last night," he added.
Jaseem Uddin, OC of Thanchi Police Station, said Krishi Bank's Ruma branch Manager Lachi Twai Marma has filed a case against 30-40 unknown persons over the looting of the bank by armed men on Wednesday.
The manager of Sonali Bank's Thanchi branch manager has been asked to come to the police station to file a case, he also said earlier.
Nizam handed over to family
On Tuesday night, KNF abducted Sonali Bank's Bandarban Ruma upazila branch manager Nizam Uddin. They also carried out robberies at Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Ruma and Thanchi upazilas on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
The Rapid Action Battalion rescued the abducted bank manager on Thursday night and took him to his family on Friday morning.
Security tightened in Khagrachhari, Bandarban
Security measures have been beefed up for public and private banks stationed in Khagrachhari district, said Deputy Commissioner Md Sahiduzzaman.
DC Sahiduzzaman said the number of police personnel has been increased at the banks for security. The banking security issue was discussed with importance in the core committee meeting, he added.
The situation in Bandarban's Thanchi and Ruma remained tense yesterday with most shops and markets closed. Many women and children were leaving the area in fear.
Thanchi Upazila Sadar UP chairman Aung Pro Mrong said the local residents are in a state of panic after two days of armed attacks and shootings.
"Many people, especially women and children, are leaving the area and moving to the homes of relatives and acquaintances in Bandarban city.
Thanchi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Mamun told TBS that BGB and police were keeping a watchful guard in the Thanchi area. "Security has been beefed up and no reason to panic."
The situation in Ruma was fairly better but at night there is panic in the whole area, said Anjan Barua, president of Ruma Sadar Shop Owners Association
He said the entire area was under tight security but people were not coming out of the house unless it was very urgent. "Although all the shops are open, there is not much shopping."
Police officials of both areas said security has been strengthened in areas deemed potentially vulnerable.
More attacks
An hour after releasing Nizam, armed robbers again attempted to rob the Thanchi branch of Sonali Bank but were stopped by the police and BGB. The robbers were forced to retreat after a gunfight between the groups ensued for an hour. It was the second attack on the bank branch within a day.
Later at midnight, gunmen attacked a joint police and army checkpost in Bandarban's Alikadam upazila at around 1am on Friday.
"The gunmen attacked by breaking through the joint checkpost by driving a vehicle," Alikadam Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tabidur Rahman told The Business Standard at around 2:20am.
"At that time, the police and army personnel present at the checkpost fired at them and a gunfight ensued for a while. No casualties have been reported yet. We are on alert," the OC added.
Bandarban situation to come under control soon: Quader
The government has taken a strict stance against terrorist activities prevailing in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said yesterday.
"The government is aware of the armed activities in Chittagong Hill Tracts. A joint drive is going on there. So, the situation will come under control soon," he said.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will visit Bandarban today to inspect the overall situation of the hill district.
The minister will visit Ruma in Bandarban. There, he will talk with high-ups of the law enforcement agencies and inspect the overall situation.
