Four cases filed over Bandarban bank robberies

Four cases have been filed in Ruma, and Thanchi upazilas of Bandarban over the bank robberies and the abduction of a bank official in the district.

Three cases were lodged in Ruma upazila and another was registered in Thanchi, Jashim Uddin, officer in-charge of Thanchi Police Station, said on Friday.

Md Raihan Kazemi, additional superintendent of the district police, said three cases were filed in Ruma and another in Thanchi against unknown people over the bank robberies.

Earlier on Thursday, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) rescued Nezam Uddin, manager of Sonali Bank's Ruma branch in the district, who was abducted during the robbery.

On Tuesday night, the members of the armed group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) attacked the Ruma Upazila Parishad office, tried to rob Sonali Bank's Ruma Branch in Bandarban, and abducted its manager Nezam Uddin, said state-owned news agency BSS.

Later, the KNF members looted two branches of Krishi and Sonali banks located in Thanchi Bazar area in Thanchi upazila on Wednesday.

Thanchi UNO Md Mamun confirmed the incident, saying, "About 15-20 people went inside the bank branches and took Tk 17.45 lakh apart from mobile phones."

Nayan Chakrabarty/MSU