Home Minister asks to launch joint crackdown in Bandarban

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said on Saturday that stern action would be taken against those involved in Bandarban bank robberies and looting firearms of police and Ansar.

“Bandarban was once a very peaceful place, but recently the armed separatist group has committed major criminal activities like bank robberies. These criminal activities will not go unchallenged. A further investigation will determine if anyone else is behind these crimes,” he said.

The home minister made the comments during his visit to Ruma upazila in Bandarban on Saturday.

Asaduzzaman Khan said, "Law enforcers along with army and border guards will launch a crackdown against the criminals in the district from Saturday."

“We will not let anything go unchallenged. We will find out who did this and who are linked with them,” Kamal said, adding that the culprits would be brought to light very soon.

Asaduzzaman Khan went to Bandarban's Ruma upazila by helicopter in the morning. Later, he visited Ansar Barrack, Mosque and Sonali Bank.

Responding to a question from the journalists, the minister said action would be taken if any negligence was found from the banks during the robberies.

On Friday, armed men reportedly attacked a checkpost in Alikadam upazila of Bandarban.

This follows incidents of robbery, abduction, and a clash between the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) and law enforcement in Ruma and Thanchi upazilas over recent days.

The separatist group had also kidnapped the Sonali Bank’s Ruma upazila branch manager on Tuesday, and tried to loot Tk1.5 crore from the vault of the Ruma branch. 

Unable to take the money, they kidnapped the bank manager, who was rescued later.

They also carried out robberies at Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Thanchi upazila of Bandarban on Wednesday.