The Election Commission (EC) has decided to suspend the Upazila Parishad elections in Thanchi, Rowangchhari, and Ruma upazilas of Bandarban due to ongoing joint law enforcement operations in the area. The commission will reschedule the elections for these three upazilas at a more suitable time.

Originally, Rowangchhari and Thanchi upazilas were scheduled for voting on May 8, with Ruma scheduled for May 21. However, the decision to postpone these elections was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal at an inter-ministerial meeting held on Tuesday at the election building.

Senior officials from four election commissions, along with representatives from public security departments, public administration, police, BGB, RAB, and other ministries and organizations, attended the three-hour inter-ministerial meeting, which began at 11 am. The focus of the meeting was on coordinating efforts among relevant authorities.

Following the meeting, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam announced instructions to ensure seamless coordination between law enforcement and administrative bodies. Additionally, Jahangir Alam disclosed plans to deploy a higher number of law enforcement officers for the upazila elections compared to previous local government elections. The deployment will be adjusted as per the demand of the district, especially considering the four-phase voting schedule.

The Upazila Parishad elections will proceed in phases, with 150 and 160 upazilas expected to vote in the first and second phases, respectively. Phase three, involving 112 upazilas, is scheduled for May 29, followed by the fourth phase on June 5.

Recent incidents, such as the armed robbery of Sonali Bank in Ruma upazila and subsequent bank robberies in Thanchi upazila, have raised concerns. Law enforcement agencies suspect the involvement of the armed group Kuki Chin National Front (KNF) in these incidents, leading to joint operations aimed at recovering stolen items and combating terrorism in Ruma and Thanchi.