Deputy Inspector General Nur-e-Alam Meena of the Chittagong Range of Bangladesh Police revealed that the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) orchestrated planned bank raids in Ruma and Thanchi upazilas of Bandarban with the intention of swiftly accumulating a significant amount of money.

After inspecting the attacked Sonali Bank branch in Ruma and visiting the injured policemen hospitalized due to the robbery, DIG Meena stated on Thursday that the bank robberies were carried out by the same group and appeared to be well-coordinated and premeditated.

"The robberies in Ruma and Thanchi seem to be connected and were executed with a specific plan in mind," he remarked, adding that banks typically have more funds in their vaults during April due to various festivals, making them lucrative targets for robbers.

The initial attack occurred on Tuesday night at the Sonali Bank branch in Ruma, where the perpetrators not only looted cash but also seized 14 security weapons and abducted the manager, Nizam Uddin, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Then, around noon on Wednesday, armed individuals stormed Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Thanchi, seizing cash and mobile phones from both customers and bank personnel before fleeing the scene.

These incidents have raised concerns about public safety, prompting authorities to implement heightened security measures across the district. As a precautionary measure, banking operations in all upazilas except Bandarban Sadar have been suspended.