Armed men hold 40 people hostage during bank robbery: Police

Armed men held 40 people hostage, including bank officials, two BGB members, nine police members, and bank clients during a bank robbery at two branches in Thanchi in Bandarban.

A team of police, including the officer-in-charge, attempted to prevent, armed men fired two rounds.

A threat was issued to shoot the hostages if the police opened fire.

Police and locals said militant outfit Kuki-Chin National Front’s (KNF) members in the hills conducted this incident on Wednesday.

Policemen, who were present during the incident, said many would be shot dead if the police did not show restraint.

While visiting two branches of Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank at Thanchi upazila sadar at around 11:00am on Thursday, police members were seen on guard. The Thanchi police station is located on the hill near two banks.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Thanchi police station officer-in-charge Jasimuddin said, "When I along with police force was going after receiving news of bank robbery, armed men opened fire targeting police members. We survived narrowly. Simultaneously, there was firing from the back of the police station. Later, we reached the bank premises through an alternative route, by this time armed men looted and fled the scene."

In another query, the OC said, "We came to know that the armed men held hostage 40 people including bank officials, two BGB members, nine police members, and bank clients. The police had shown sufficient restraint to protect these people."

While visiting today, it is found that there is no boundary wall around the Thanchi police station. Police members, witnesses of the incident, said the firing was conducted from south-western side of the police station. Simultaneously, armed men standing on the gate of the police station opened fire targeting the police members including OC.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, on-duty police constable at Sonali Bank Thanchi branch, said four to five armed men in a vehicle locally called Chander Gari entered the bank all of a sudden. Before entering, they fired blank shots. After entering the bank, they threatened to shoot officials if the police went for action against them.

Armed men could not take money from the Sonali Bank branch at Ruma after they carried out an attack at around 8:15pm on Tuesday. They, however, looted over Tk 1.7 million from Sonali Bank and Bangladesh Krishi Bank branches at Thanchi on Wednesday afternoon.

The attackers kidnapped the Sonali Bank branch in Ruma, manager Nizamuddin. He has been rescued today, Thursday, according to RAB. They also looted 14 arms and 415 rounds of bullets of police and Ansar.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday said members of militant outfit Kuki-Chin National Front’s (KNF) members were involved with a robbery attempt in Sonali Bank’s Ruma branch.

KNF started its activities from the middle of 2022. Law enforcers earlier said that new militant outfit Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya members took armed training in KNF den as per an agreement between the two militant groups.

The law enforcers raided the KNF den last year and arrested several members of Ansar Fil Hindal and KNF.

In May last year, a ‘peace establishment committee’ led by zila parishad chairman Kya Shew Hla was formed to bring back KNF members to the mainstream of the society. A second meeting between KNF and the peace establishment committee took place at the Bethel Para on 5 March.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Thanchi police station officer-in-charge Jashim Uddin said security at the  police station has been tightened after the incident of bank robbery. Additional police members have been added. A preparation is going on to file a case in connection with looting from the bank.