Cash, arms, amm looted, branch manager abducted
Kuki-Chin involved in bank robberies: Home minister
Sonali Bank suspends transactions in 6 branches on security ground
Armed robbers stormed into three banks in Ruma and Thanchi upazilas of Bandarban district within a span of 16 hours and looted cash, valuables and firearms from those banks.
The robberies took place in two branches of Sonali Bank and one branch of Krishi Bank on Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon.
During the robbery, miscreants looted Tk 17.5 lakh in cash, snatched 14 guns belonging to police and Ansar members responsible for ensuring the security of the banks, and assaulted at least 20 people, including officials and security guards.
However, they abducted the manager of Sonali Bank Ruma Branch as they failed to loot money. He is still missing till filing of this report at 8:00 pm.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal claimed that militant group Kuki-Chin was involved in the bank robberies.
A new armed group--Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF)--surfaced in the hill tracts a few years ago. The KNF is made up of people from six small ethnic groups, namely Bom, Mro, Lusai, Khumi, Khyang and Pangkhua. They consider themselves the original inhabitants of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. They aim to establish nine upazilas in Bandarban and Rangamati districts as an autonomous state. Following the
robberies, transactions in six branches of Sonali Bank at upazila level across Bandarban have been halted, citing heightened security concerns.
Sonali Bank bank robbery in Ruma upazila
Armed criminals stormed into Ruma Upazila Parishad Complex Tuesday night, disarmed security personnel, took away their firearms and robbed Sonali Bank Branch.
The robbers vandalised furniture and glasses inside the bank and took away 14 guns belonging to police and Ansar members responsible for ensuring the security of the bank and other establishments inside the complex, said Didarul Alam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (acting) of Ruma Upazila.
He said the robbers also abducted branch manager Md Nizam Uddin during the robbery that took place around 8:30pm on Tuesday.
The UNO said the armed members of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) surrounded the upazila parishad complex during Taraweeh prayers around 8:30pm. They entered the mosque, assaulted people, and took away the mobile phones of all policemen and Ansar members.
The attackers forced the bank employees, who were inside the mosque, to open the vault of the bank, housed in the Upazila Parishad Complex. They left the area half an hour later with money looted from the vault, he added.
Witnesses said more than 100 armed criminals took part in the attack on Sonali Bank Branch in Ruma Upazila around 8:30pm on Tuesday. At least 20 people, including officials and security personnel, were injured in the attack and branch’s Manager Md Nizam Uddin was kidnapped.
According to local law enforcement sources, KNF members looted two SMGs (light machine guns) and 60 rounds of ammunition, 8 Chinese rifles and 320 rounds of ammunition and four shotguns and 35 cartridges from the policemen who were guarding the bank and Ansar members who were guarding the residence of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO).
Upazila Chairman U Hla Ching Marma said KNF members surrounded the area during Taraweeh prayers, took away the mobile phones of the policemen and Ansar members and abducted Nizam.
Osman Gani, Deputy General Manager of Sonali Bank’s Bandarban branch, said Ruma branch had received a shipment of fresh bank notes yesterday (Tuesday).
“We don't know how much money was in the bank’s vault. It can be known after accessing the central server,” he said.
After the robbery last night, additional police have been deployed in front of the bank and upazila parishad. There are also RAB members. Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban Shah Mujahid Uddin, District Police Superintendent Shahin Saikat and senior officials visited the spot.
No money looted from Sonali Bank in Ruma: CID
Shahnewaz Khaled, special superintendent of police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Chattogram region, said no money was looted from Sonali Bank Branch in Ruma Upazila of Bandarban and all money in the vault of the bank is intact.
He said two teams from CID’s Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar units had collected evidence from the spot. Later, they counted all money kept in the bank's vault and found that no money had been looted from the vault.
He said the two keys of the vault must be used at once to open the vault. Probably, the armed men could not open the vault for this reason.
Robbery at two banks in Thanchi in broad daylight
Armed robbers looted around Tk 17.5 lakh in cash from Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank in Bandarban’s Thanchi upazila in a broad daylight on Wednesday.
The incident took place around 12:30 pm, said Md Jasim Uddin, officer-in-charge of Thanchi Police Station.
Thanchi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Mamun said the robbers entered Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches around 12:30 pm and looted cash and valuables.
After entering the banks, the robbers seized weapons from the security guards and destroyed all CCTV cameras to eliminate evidence before fleeing the scene, according to eyewitnesses.
The armed gang members also fired several rounds of bullets inside the banks and in and around the area to ensure their safe escape.
The robbers looted around Tk 15 lakh from Sonali Bank’s Thanchi branch, said Osman Gani, Deputy General Manager of Sonali Bank’s Bandarban Branch.
From Krishi Bank’s Thanchi Branch, they looted Tk 2.5 lakh, said Hlaswithwai Marma, manager of Krishi Bank’s Thanchi Branch.
Witnesses said a gang of armed criminals entered the bazar area in the upazila riding on three vehicles, locally called ‘chandergari’ around 12:30 pm. Later, they went to Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank, looted cash, and left the place riding on three vehicles.
Hlaswithwai Marma said around 12:30 pm, two jeeps carrying armed people stormed into the bank.
“Officials and employees were locked up in a separate room inside our Krishi Bank. Later, they shuffled the papers and left,” he added.
Transactions at six branches of Sonali Bank halted
Following the robberies, transactions at six branches of Sonali Bank in Bandarban have been halted.
Osman Gani, deputy general manager of Sonali Bank Bandarban branch, said, “We have suspended all banking activities of our six branches in the area except for Sadar branch. And we will immediately resume banking activities after taking adequate security measures.”
Kuki-Chin involved in Bandarban bank robberies: Home minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, “Kuki-Chin was involved in bank robberies and firearms looting. They also hit police constables, bank guards and ansars.”
“First, they switched off the electricity at substation and then started looting valuables and firearms. Later, they abducted local Sonali Bank manager when he was performing Taraweeh namaz,” he told journalists at his ministry office here.
The minister, however, said that detailed information in this regard is yet to be available.
He said that the miscreants also attacked Krishi Bank and Sonali Bank in Thanchi today (Wednesday) and looted cash and valuables.
Kamal said that police and BGB are carrying out operations immediately after the incident.
“We will do everything whatever needed to bring the situation under control. Police and BGB have been carrying out their duties. If necessary, Bangladesh Army will also join the operation against Kuki Chin and other militant outfits,” he added.
Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Special Branch Chief Md Monirul Islam and other high officials are now in Bandarban to investigate the incident.
Strict action against those involved in bank robberies: IGP
Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun has warned that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in the bank robbery at Ruma Upazila in Bandarban.
The IGP visited the spot on Wednesday after Sonali Bank branch in the upazila was attacked and robbed on Tuesday night.
The police boss said, “I came to Bandarban to learn more about last night’s shocking events. We went to different locations. They attacked our people, the mosque, and the Ansar camp. They then stole weapons.”
“They took weapons from the Ansar and the police and kidnapped the Sonali Bank manager too. We are searching for the weapons and we will take strict action against anyone involved,” he added.
While the IGP was visiting the spot in Ruma upazila, there was another attack on two banks in Thanchi Upazila.
Asked about the situation, Abdullah said, “We have only just heard about the situation. Because we were on alert, they came and then left. We are collecting information on the matter.”
“The criminals will be brought to justice, and necessary steps will be taken to punish them,” he added.
KNF agrees not to carry out attacks for a month
On March 5, the second in-person meeting between the armed separatist group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) and a peace establishment committee took place at Bethel Para Community Centre of Bandarban’s Ruma upazila.
After the meeting, KNF has agreed to refrain from carrying out armed attacks till the next month and continue negotiations with the government for establishing peace in the Chattogram Hill Tracts.
