Within 17 hours, the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), an insurgent faction, orchestrated a series of brazen bank heists in Bandarban on Tuesday and Wednesday. They abducted a bank official and engaged in armed clashes with security forces. This spree of violence has stoked grave concerns over a potential resurgence of terrorism plaguing the secluded districts of Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban.

The KNA is the militant wing of the proscribed Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), a group committed to the secession of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region. The KNA gained notoriety in May of the previous year following the fatal ambush of two Bangladesh Army personnel in Bandarban, an attack attributed to this very group.

Authorities allege the KNF has been implicated in approximately 20 homicides across the CHT and is funding militant training programs to further its separatist agenda. In a crackdown last October 2022, officials uncovered disturbing evidence that the KNF was indoctrinating new recruits for a nascent extremist outfit known as Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.

The dense forests and rugged terrain of the Chittagong Hill Tracts provide an ideal stronghold for various armed factions to take root. Credible reports suggest the KNA boasts a formidable cadre of around 4,000 trained operatives dispersed within Bangladesh's borders and beyond.

How the Attacks Unfolded

On Tuesday evening, the secluded town of Ruma in Bandarban district was rocked by a series of brazen attacks orchestrated by armed assailants. Locals reported that the gunmen first struck the Ruma upazila administration building before turning their sights on the Sonali Bank branch.

In a display of wanton violence, around 20 individuals, including bank officials and security guards, were assaulted during the raids. Nizam Uddin, the bank manager, was taken hostage at gunpoint but was later rescued on Thursday.  

Didarul Alam, the assistant commissioner of Ruma upazila, recounted the harrowing events. "Around 8:30 pm, a group of 70-80 armed men forced their way into the mosque within the Upazila Complex boundary while officials were attending Taraweeh prayers," he said. “They held everyone captive, subjecting them to severe beatings and robbing them of money and mobile phones. The assailants then took the bank manager hostage, likely because he couldn't unlock the bank's safe.”

Police findings suggest the terrorists meticulously planned their operation, exploiting factors such as the frequent power outages in Ruma between 8 pm and 9 pm, which coincide with Taraweeh prayers. This window allowed them to target the upazila complex where banks accumulate significant funds for monthly salaries and Eid bonuses.

While the assailants failed to loot the Sonali Bank vault, which CID officials confirmed contained over 1.59 crore Bangladeshi Taka, they made off with firearms and ammunition belonging to law enforcement personnel stationed at the bank. The stolen arsenal included sub-machine guns, Chinese rifles, shotguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The armed terrorists didn't stop there; they went on to attack two more bank branches of Krishi Bank and Sonali Bank in the Ruma and Thanchi upazilas on Wednesday. Eyewitnesses reported seeing over 100 KNF members during the Ruma attack and 20 to 25 assailants in Thanchi, all heavily armed with sophisticated firearms.

The violence escalated further on Thursday night when the assailants unleashed attacks on a police and army joint checkpost in Alikadam upazila, as well as the Thanchi police station. While no security personnel were harmed, the audacious attacks have left the region on edge.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal acknowledged the alleged involvement of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the bank robberies in Ruma and Thanchi. He assured that the government would take comprehensive action to address the situation.

Currently, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police are engaged in operations in the affected areas, as the region grapples with the resurgence of militant activities and the threat of further violence.

The Motives

Khandker Al Moin, the director of the Legal and Media Wing of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said that there are two likely motives driving the recent spate of armed bank robberies and looting incidents in Bandarban. Firstly, the criminals aimed to steal money and seize weapons from the banks. However, their actions also served a more symbolic purpose - to demonstrate their capabilities as a formidable armed group.

Moin stated, “The Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) wants to showcase its prowess to both its supporters and rival armed factions, signaling that they wield significant power. They were previously given an opportunity to reintegrate into mainstream society, but have chosen to pursue these brazen criminal acts instead.”

The official's comments shed light on the complex dynamics at play, suggesting the robberies were not merely financially motivated crimes, but part of a broader strategy by the KNF to assert its dominance through displays of force within the region's intricate web of armed groups.

Joint Security Operation Launched

In response to the recent incidents, Bangladeshi security forces and law enforcement agencies, including the Army, police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), have initiated a joint operation in the affected areas of Bandarban as of April 5th. This was announced by RAB officials during a press briefing held around 11:00 am at the District Council auditorium.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has vowed a crackdown on the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), blaming the separatist tribal group for the audacious bank robberies that occurred in Bandarban on two consecutive days. During a media briefing at the Secretariat on Thursday, he instructed authorities to investigate whether there are any ulterior motives behind these heists.

"Those who attacked the banks, looted money, seized weapons, and abducted a bank official will be brought to justice," he asserted.

Peace Talks Suspended

Meanwhile, the 'Committee to Establish Peace' has announced the suspension of all dialogue with the KNF. Members of the committee made this announcement during a press briefing on Thursday, stating that if the KNF fails to release the abducted bank manager (now rescued), return the stolen money and arms, and create an environment conducive to a return to normal life, the 'Committee to Establish Peace' may be dissolved.

Kya Shai Hla Marma, the convenor of the 'Committee to Establish Peace' and the district council chairman, read out a written statement during the media briefing held in the district council conference room. The media conference strongly condemned the looting of bank money and arms, the abduction of bank officials, and other criminal activities perpetrated by the KNF.

The 'Committee to Establish Peace' was formed on May 29, 2013, under the leadership of district council chairman Kya Shai Hla Marma, with the intention of rehabilitating KNF members back into mainstream society. The KNF has had several online meetings with the committee and two direct meetings, during which two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed on November 5 and March 5 of last year. As part of these MoUs, the KNF had committed to cease criminal activities, including extortion, abduction, looting, and other unlawful acts.

Who are the Kuki-Chin National Army?

The Chin Kuki-Mizo belong to the same ethnic tribe, known by different names in Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India, residing in close geographic proximity along the border regions of these countries. This ethnic armed group is engaged in political and military efforts aimed at establishing an independent state in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which encompasses the majority of the Bandarban and Rangamati districts.

Their political wing, the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), was founded by Nathan Bom as a non-profit development organization but has evolved into a separatist group since 2017. The term "Kuki-Chin" is a geographical grouping of numerous Tibeto-Burman language-speaking ethnic communities that constitute the majority population in the Indian state of Mizoram and the Chin state of Myanmar. The KNF, locally known as the "Bawm Party," comprises six members of the Kuki-Chin ethnic group: the Bom, Pangkhua, Lusai, Khumi, Mro, and Khiang.

It is believed that the KNF implicitly does not support the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, which, according to various media reports, they perceive as overwhelmingly favoring the Chakma clan – who have more national representation than other tribes in the region.

Additionally, the KNF is engaged in fierce battles with members of the Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) and spreading terror in villages to establish their supremacy.

Security analysts speculate that the armed group's attack in Bandarban may have international connections, suggesting a risk of arms and fuel supply from across the border. They urge security forces to remain vigilant to prevent the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) from receiving external support. Furthermore, analysts highlight the perceived shortcomings of detectives in this incident, emphasizing the need for improved investigative measures.