RAB believes that the purpose of the National Cookie-China (KNF) robbery at Sonali Bank in Bandarban was to show strength, dominate and collect money.

Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB’s law and media wing, said this while talking to reporters at RAB’s media center in the capital’s Karwan Bazar on Thursday (April 4) afternoon.

Khandaker Al Moin said that peace talks are going on with KNF along with separatist organizations in the hills. There were incidents of assault and robbery among them. Now the joint forces are working to bring those involved under the law.
He said, we think terrorist organization KNF attacked Sonali Bank in Bandarban’s Ruma Bazar between 8.30 and 9.00 pm. There was no electricity at the time of the attack. We are investigating this matter regarding the power outage. As far as we know, around 100 people participated in the attack. As you know, RAB was the first to bring forward the issue of KNF’s anti-state activities. KNF was providing shelter, arms supply and training to militant organization Jamaatul Ansar Phil Hindal Sharkia in Chittagong Hill Tracts in exchange of money. They signed a three-year contract for this training. RAB conducted a long operation with the help of the army. In the operation, the training center was identified, more than 100 members of militant organizations and 20 people from Kuki-chin were arrested along with a large amount of weapons.

He said that discussions were going on with the KNF. Peace Committee was formed recently. Peace talks were going on with them. For this reason, law enforcement forces stop operations against Kuki-chin. While this discussion was going on, on April 2, hundreds of KNF members attacked Sonali Bank. The attackers looted 10 weapons of Bangladesh Police and 4 weapons of Ansar. The manager of the bank, Nezam Uddin, was also kidnapped because he did not give the key to the bolt. The next day they attacked two more banks in Thanchi. Although the bank could not take the key of the bolt from the bank, it took some money of the customer in the bank.

They did not use any vehicle in the first day’s attack. Night came. The first day there was no footage as there was no electricity. But in the second day’s attack, they used the moon car. Several footages of the day have been obtained, said Commander Khandaker Al Moin.