KNF commits bank robberies to 'show off' capacity, says RAB

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will visit Bandarban today (Saturday) while Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said the three bank robberies were committed by Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in Bandarban to show off its organisational capacity, report agencies.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will visit Bandarban today (Saturday) to inspect the overall situation there as law enforcers on Thursday rescued Sonali Bank's manager Nizam Uddin within 48 hours after abduction, reports BSS.

Talking to the news agency, senior information officer of the home ministry Sharif Mahmud Apu said the minister will go to Bandarban by a helicopter in the morning.

He said the home minister will visit Ruma and Bandarban and talk with high ups of the law enforcement agencies and inspect the overall situation.

Meanwhile, the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), aka the Bawm Party, conducted the three bank robberies in Bandarban to show off their capacity, according to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) spokesman Commander Khandaker Al Moin.

"There are several regional organisations in Bandarban," the director of RAB's Law and Media Wing said.

"The bank robbery, arms robbery, kidnapping, and attacks in Bandarban's Ruma and Thanchi were carried out by armed members of the KNF to show off their supremacy, inspire new recruits, and demonstrate the organisation's capacity to their associates across the world."

Al Moin made the remarks during a press conference at the Bandarban Hill District Council's conference room on Friday.

Armed men attacked three branches of Krishi Bank and Sonali Bank in the Ruma and Thanchi upazilas of Bandarban on Tuesday and Wednesday.

They looted money from the banks, beat the officials and kidnapped a bank manager. They also stole several weapons and ammunition.

Connections were found between the attacks and the KNF, a separatist group operating in the hill tracts. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has also spoken about the involvement of KNF in these incidents.

RAB rescued manager Nezam Uddin, a bank manager who was abducted during the robbery of Sonali Bank in Ruma on Thursday night, amid fear and panic among the residents of the two upazilas throughout the day.

Commander Al Moin said that work is underway to identify those involved in the attacks.

"The process of identifying them is underway by scrutinising the CCTV footage. They will be brought to justice."