Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan announced on Saturday an operation targeting the armed separatist faction, Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), in response to recent bank robberies in Bandarban.

During his visit to Ruma upazila in Bandarban, the minister condemned the surge in criminal activities by the armed separatist group, emphasizing that Bandarban, once known for its tranquility, will not tolerate such actions without repercussions. He further assured that investigations would ascertain if any other parties were involved in these crimes.

Responding to journalists' inquiries, the minister affirmed that appropriate measures would be taken if any lapses were identified from the banks during the robberies.

The announcement follows reports of armed assailants attacking a checkpoint in Alikadam upazila of Bandarban. These incidents have been part of a series of criminal activities, including robberies, abductions, and confrontations between the KNF and law enforcement in Ruma and Thanchi upazilas in recent days.

Earlier in the week, the KNF kidnapped the manager of Sonali Bank’s Ruma upazila branch and attempted to loot Tk1.5 crore from the branch vault. However, their efforts were thwarted, leading to the kidnapping of the bank manager, who was later rescued. Additionally, robberies were carried out at Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Thanchi upazila of Bandarban.