All banking activities closed in 3 Bandarban upazilas

Activities of all banks, including the Sonali Bank, in Ruma, Thanchi and Roangchhari upazilas of Bandarban have been closed for an indefinite period.

Additional general manager of Bandarban Sadar branch of Sonali Bank, Osman Gani, confirmed this to the media Thursday morning.

The decision has been made considering overall security issues, he said.

Sonali Bank sources said that the depositors of different banks can withdraw money from the respective banks’ branches at the district sadar town.

Earlier, a gang of armed people attacked the Sonali Bank branch in Ruma upazila to loot money from its vault around 8:15 pm Tuesday. But they kidnapped the branch’s manager Nizam Uddin as they failed to loot the money.

The armed miscreants also looted mobile phones of people and 14 firearms and 415 rounds of bullets from the police and Ansar members who guard the bank.

Later, armed people attacked Thanchi branches of Sonali Bank and Bangladesh Krishi Bank around 1:00 pm Wednesday and looted Tk 1.7 million.

Based on initial information, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told the media that the people, who attacked the Ruma branch of Sonali Bank, are members of the newly emerged armed terror group KNF.

The people involved with the Thanchi incident are also KNF members, said local people.