Abducted Sonali Bank manager returns home after 3 days

Sonali Bank’s Ruma branch manager Nezam Uddin returned to his home in Bandarban district Sadar on Friday afternoon, three days after being abducted by armed terrorists from the bank.

A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) rescued him from the Ruma upazila market area on Thursday afternoon.

Law enforcement agencies and local sources said some armed members of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) abducted him after carrying out an attack on the bank.

RAB organised a media conference on the rescue of bank manager Nezam Uddin at the Bandarban district council auditorium at 11:00 am today, Friday.

Nezam Uddin, however, was not brought at the media briefing. Instead, he was brought before the journalists at the RAB office, where the bank manager said he could return with the cooperation and prayers of all. Nezam Uddin expressed his gratitude to all. His wife Maisuma Islam was by his side at that time.

RAB’s Bandarban unit company commander Squadron Leader Touhidul Islam said Nezam Uddin returned to his home after the media conference. A RAB vehicle escorted him with his family members home.

Some 70-80 armed people carried out an attack at the Ruma branch of Sonali Bank on Tuesday night and tried to loot money, breaking the bank’s vault. As they failed to take the money, the armed men abducted the branch manager Nezam Uddin. RAB members rescued him on Thursday evening.

Within 17 hours of the attempted robbery at the Ruma branch of Sonali Bank, the incidents of attack, and looting of money and firearms took place at two more branches of other banks.

The armed people also opened fire aiming at the Thanchi police station on Thursday night too.