Joint drive against KNF begins today

Law enforcers along with army and border guards will start a joint operation against armed group Kuki-Chin National Front in Bandarban from today.

Rab and police will take part in the drive, during which the joint forces will aim to recover firearms and ammunition from the regional armed group known as KNF, Khandaker Al Moin, director of Rab's legal and media wing, said at a press briefing in Bandarban yesterday.

The operation comes after Thursday night's gunfights between police and members of an armed group who attacked the Thanchi Police Station.

Law enforcers say the attack and the three bank robberies were carried out by the KNF.

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Bank heists rock hills

People of Bandarban's Thanchi upazila were gripped by fear following the gunfight, which came after armed gangs robbed three banks in Ruma and Thanchi upazilas in a span of 16 hours from Tuesday night and abducting the manager of one of the banks.

Thanchi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jasim Uddin told The Daily Star yesterday that members of the armed group have taken up position not far from the police station.

District police have added extra personnel in Ruma, Thanchi and Rowangchhari police stations to fend off further attacks.

Visiting the area yesterday, Chattogram Range Additional Range DIG Sanjoy Sarkar told reporters there was nothing to fear, and that police were prepared to resist the armed group.

Locals said the fact that the attacks took place despite there being Border Guard Bangladesh, army and police camps in the area has added to the panic among residents.

The two banks in Thanchi Bazar robbed by the armed groups on Wednesday morning -- Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank -- are within 150 yards of Thanchi Police Station, which is close to an army camp and two BGB camps.

Some alleged that the BGB were late in responding to the attacks, further emboldening the armed group. Lieutenant Commander Taimoor Hassan, the commanding officer of BGB 38 Battalion, refuted the allegation and said BGB acted promptly after the attacks, because of which the armed group had to leave the area quickly.

Our correspondent, who visited the area yesterday, saw people living near Thanchi Bazar leaving their homes on pickups for safe shelter. Those who stayed behind only left their homes for urgent business.

Didarul Alam, a boatman and a resident of the upazila's TNT Para, said, "I am sending my wife and two sons to Satkania. We are frightened. There is nothing else to do considering the situation."

Similarly, people of at least seven families, mostly women and children, were seen leaving Thanchi with bags. People in Taikkhon Para, TNT Para and Shahjahan Para are passing a tense time.

Around 11:30am a team of BGB from the nearby camp was seen patrolling Thanchi Bazar, which is under the jurisdiction of 38 BGB Battalion. They were seen quizzing people and verifying their identities. Traders said Thanchi bazar has nearly 240 shops and a kitchen market.

A worker at a bookshop in the market said, "We closed our shop around 8:30pm [on Thursday] after the gunfight started. We stayed inside the shop along with other shopkeepers till 10:30pm and later shuttered the market after the armed criminals left the spot."

Local traders said the armed criminals are still positioned at Shahjahan Para near Thanchi Bazar.

Additional Range DIG Sanjoy Sarkar visited Thanchi Police Station around 1:30pm. After checking the security measures, he briefed reporters about the recent attack on police.

"Police is very much capable of dealing with KNF members and have the capacity and skill. They [KNF] have limited members, and police are investigating the intention behind the recent attacks."

Thanchi Police Station OC Jasim Uddin told The Daily Star, "KNF members are trying to get attention and establish supremacy in Thanchi. They tried to collect firearms from the police station and create panic in the police forces.

"We are ready to face them. We have arranged extra forces and firearms," said the OC.

Jasim Uddin, General Secretary of Thanchi Bazar Committee, told The Daily Star, "People are in extreme fear. BGB patrolling has intensified since Thursday but people are gripped by panic following the repeated attacks.

"The administration needs to be more sincere. We are all suffering," he said.

Sanjoy Sarker told media, "Police filed six cases in Ruma and Thanchi in connection with the robbery at three banks, looting firearms from police and ansar, attacking the police station and abducting the bank manager.

He also denied that the armed men attacked the Thanchi Police Station directly on Thursday night. "Armed KNF members opened fire targeting the on-duty police officials in Thanchi Bazar, forcing police to retaliate with gunfire. The criminals came to Thanchi Bazar riding three jeeps."

Later, the fighting spread to the police station.

Contradicting reports of another gunfight with the armed men in Alikadam later on Thursday night, Chattogram Range DIG Nur E Alam Mina yesterday told The Daily Star, "The shooting incident at the combined check post on Dim Pahar in Alikadam was a misunderstanding. It was a sand-laden truck which tried to breach the barricade of the check post, forcing security officials to fire.

The driver was injured but he is now okay, said Nur e Alam.