Staff Reporter :
A total of 65 suspected Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) members have so far been sent to jail by the court in the past few days after starting the joint combing operation led by the army, which has been initiated since April 7 night.
Meanwhile, a court in Bandarban on Thursday sent another suspected KNF member to jail in a case filed over bank robbery and assault in Thanchi upazila.
Bandarban Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Mohammad Nazmul Hossain passed the order to send him to jail at about 11:30 a.m.
The accused is Rual Than Lyan Bwam, 33. He is the son of Tualyn Bwam of Ward No. 6 under Paindu UP of Ruma.
A total of nine cases were filed under various sections of the Special Powers Act, 1974, and the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, in the Ruma and Thanchi police stations of the district in connection with bank robberies.
However, in the operation, the joint forces have so far detained 73 people, including 20 women, and sent 65 people to jail.
In response to the escalating situation in the area, a joint combing operation led by the army has been initiated since April 7 night, covering Ruma, Rowangchhari, and Thanchi upazilas.
The arrests were made in connection with attacks on banks and police installations that saw cash and arms looted on April 2-4 at Ruma and Thanchi in Bandarban Hill district.
The authorities have bolstered security measures by deploying four armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from Dhaka and increasing the number of security personnel in the hilly areas to nab the culprits involved with bank robberies and arms looting.
On April 2, the separatist group tried to loot Tk 1.5 crore from the vault of the Sonali Bank’s Ruma upazila branch. In failure, they kidnapped the branch manager, Nizam Uddin.
They also carried out robberies at Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Thanchi upazila of Bandarban on April 3.
They looted at least 12 firearms, 400 bullets, and Tk 17 lakh in cash during the attacks.
On April 4, abducted bank manager Nizam was rescued from the Bathel Para area of Bandarban through the mediation of the Rapid Action Battalion.
