[🇧🇩-Land] Bangladesh Army VS Kuki Chin

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53 KNF members detained during operations in Bandarban

Members of the Bangladesh army and police in Bandarban have detained 53 KNF members in two separate operations

www.thedailystar.net

53 KNF members detained during operations in Bandarban

Photo: Collected

Members of the Bangladesh army and police in Bandarban have detained 53 KNF members in two separate operations.

Among the detainees are 18 women. The operations also led to the arrest of Lalchiam Bom, assistant cashier of Sonali Bank in Ruma upazila, who is currently undergoing interrogation.

Additionally, law enforcement agencies carried seven firearms, ammunition, and KNF-related equipment during the operations.

The operation, conducted on Monday afternoon by army personnel, targeted several villages, including Bathel Para in Ruma upazila, where a cache of arms, ammunition, and equipment was discovered.

On Sunday night the operation by the police, resulted in the arrest of three KNF members at Reicha camp and the driver of the vehicle used in the robbery, apprehended from Thanchi.

Zone Commander of the army in Ruma upazila, Lt Col KM Arafat Amin confirmed the matter.

The detainees from the police operation were identified as Vannanun Moy Bom, Jemeniyu Bom, and Ame Lanchao Bom, residents of Simtlangpi Para in Ruma upazila, while the arrested driver was named Md Kofil Uddin Sagar, 28, from Thanchi.

Furthermore, Additional Superintendent of Police Raihan Kazemi revealed that 49 individuals from Ruma, three from Bandarban, and one from Thanchi were detained and sent to the Bandarban district headquarters for further processing.

Meanwhile, in response to the escalating situation, a joint combing operation led by the army has been initiated since Sunday night, covering Ruma, Rowangchhari, and Thanchi upazilas. The authorities have bolstered security measures by deploying four Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) from Dhaka and increasing the number of security personnel in the area.

The intensified security measures have caused disruptions in daily life, with the closure of banking and financial institutions and the suspension of vehicular movement in Ruma upazila. Markets are shuttering early, reflecting the prevailing tension in the affected upazilas.

The district administration has instructed hospitals to remain on high alert and prepare to provide prompt medical assistance to patients and the injured. The situation remains fluid as security forces continue their efforts to quell any potential threats posed by insurgent activities in the region.​

 

[Saif]

Decoding the motives of KNF’s recent escalation

Decoding the motives of KNF’s recent escalation

www.daily-sun.com

Decoding the motives of KNF's recent escalation
Mahabub Alam, Dhaka
Publish: Saturday, 06 April, 2024 00:00

Security experts speculated three possible reasons behind the sudden menace of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the hills.

The first reason behind KNF's violence is showing its power to draw others' attention, the second is dreaming of victory for a separate state after seeing the favourable position of rebels in Myanmar, and the third is just to collect money to resolve their financial crisis, security experts and sources in the law enforcement and intelligence agencies told the Daily Sun.

There is another possible reason that somebody or a quarter does not want the separatist outfit members to return to normal life, said security experts.

Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, professor of international relations at Dhaka University, told the Daily Sun that maybe, the Kuki-Chin is showing their efficiency to draw others' attention to themselves.

Militancy has increased in Myanmar's Rakhine State and north-east India. Through the latest show of power, the organisation may get the work of giving training to other groups as it earlier trained a militant outfit's members, he said.

He also said the condition of Myanmar may encourage the KNF.

"I think that a solution should be found out at local, national and international levels. The crisis cannot be resolved by the army only if there are local political conflicts," he said. Echoing him, Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain told the Daily Sun that the favourable condition of rebels in Myanmar is definitely encouraging the KNF.

He said that it might get firearms from Rakhine, Chin State, Manipur and Mizoram.

"A small group is now demanding independence as it is getting help across the border," he said.

Sakhawat Hussain said police and Ansar have lack of training to combat such situations. Besides, there was a lack of intelligence information.
In addition, the experience of the army was not applied in this case, he added.

Crime expert and Dhaka University teacher Tawohidul Haque told the Daily Sun that the armed organisation provided training to their members; sometimes, they become active and sometimes they remain inactive.

He said, "The separatist organisation wants to dominate the hilly areas. Its latest menace might be for drawing fresh members. Maybe, it has followers on local levels.

"Besides, the favourable position of rebels in Myanmar may encourage them to fight for their victory for a separate state."

Tawohidul Haque urged the law enforcers to be more vigilant to eliminate the anti-state force.

On condition of anonymity, a senior officer of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) told the Daily Sun that the KNF did not gain much power. Currently, it needs money severely. That is why it has taken the path of robbery and kidnapping.

"They are using their existing members and firearms to generate finance so that they can survive," the officer said.

Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director (Legal and Media) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), also said that the members of the KNF might carry out heists in banks as they badly need money.

Another security expert, who wished not to be named, said that the security measures should be reshuffled. The Army should be given the responsibility of ensuring security in the hills as they have such training, which the police and RAB do not have.

Kuki-Chin through a Facebook post showed their existence about two years back. It declared a separate state with nine upazilas of two hilly districts and uploaded a map of their imaginary state.

According to the map, the state comprises Baghaichhari, Borkol, Juraichhari, Bilaichhari, Ruangchhari, Ruma, Thanchi, Alikadam and Lama areas.

The organisation came to the fore after some youths of Cumilla left their houses to join militancy.

The RAB discovered that the Kuki-Chin was providing training to the members of Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.

The separatist sat in meetings with the government and promised to quit the path of astray life. The next meeting between KNF and the government is scheduled to be held on 22 April.

However, the members of Kuki-Chin looted three branches of two banks in Ruma and Thanchi on Tuesday and Wednesday.

They abducted the manager of a bank branch and later released him after receiving ransom.

On Thursday night, they fired bullets at the security forces.​

 

[Saif]

Major (rtd) Hafiz thinks that the security forces of Bangladesh have lost their skills and professionalism. He urged the govt. to make efforts to raise the skills and professionalism of our security forces. He would like to see Bangladesh as a strong military power in the region.

 

[Saif]

BNP doubts if KNF issue a govt drama

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday doubted if the Kuki-Chin National Front issue was a drama of the government....

www.newagebd.net

BNP doubts if KNF issue a govt drama
Staff Correspondent | Published: 22:24, Apr 09,2024

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday doubted if the Kuki-Chin National Front issue was a drama of the government.

'The government once staged an IS [Islamic State] drama to intimidate people and now only the government can say whether it is staging a new drama over the KNF issue,' said BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan.

He made the statement while talking to journalists after a meeting with BNP religious affairs secretary Rafiqul Islam Jamal, who was recently released from jail.

He said that the government turned into authoritarian grabbing all powers.

'The government is now even searching the BNP inside the KNF with a binocular microscope,' he said.

The BNP believes in peaceful systematic politics, he said, adding, 'We want the people of the country to live with their own rights.'

The BNP is agitating for the restoration of the people's democratic rights and the rights to vote and freedom of speech, said the party leader.

In the past week KNF members reportedly robbed three branches of two state-run banks and carried out an attack on a police establishment in Bandarban and looted cash and arms.​

 

[Saif]

Dealing with terrorism in Bandarban

Already overwhelmed with incursions into border areas by Myanmar rebels as well as that country's Border Guard Police (BGP) personnel and members of the Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) in its south-eastern districts, Bangladesh is now facing a new threat from homegrown terrorists in the hill di

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Dealing with terrorism in Bandarban
SYED FATTAHUL ALIM
Published :
Apr 07, 2024 22:19
Updated :
Apr 08, 2024 22:00

Already overwhelmed with incursions into border areas by Myanmar rebels as well as that country's Border Guard Police (BGP) personnel and members of the Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) in its south-eastern districts, Bangladesh is now facing a new threat from homegrown terrorists in the hill district of Bandarban. Members of this so-called Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) recently unleashed a reign of terror in the Ruma and Thanchi areas by firing at the police station and conducting armed robbery in banks. They also kidnapped the manager of Sonali Bank, Ruma branch during the robbery and later released him, thanks to the quick action by the elite force, RAB. The government appears to have taken the matter with due seriousness and promised coordinated action by the members of the army, the border guard and the police to destroy the new terrorist outfit called KNF.

The objective of the attacks on police station and the act of robbery by the armed group was not purely one of money collection. Clearly, its aim was to declare its presence in the area through creating panic among the local population. Reports coming from Ruma and Thanchi areas testify to this. So, the terrorist outfit has to some extent succeeded in its primary objective of striking fear among the local population. Obviously, this does not speak well for the local administration. The way the armed group overpowered the Ansars and police force guarding the offices of the local administration and seized some 14 pieces of arms including a submachine gun from them, beat up banks officials at Ruma and Thanchi during the robberies has made people there panicky. Surprise is the hallmark of any terrorist attack and the job of those on guard at sensitive places such as banks, government offices and police stations is to be prepared for such attacks. But they were not, so far as the reports go. However, it is definitely reassuring for the local population that the home minister went to the places where the terrorist attacks took place and promised stern measures against the KNF terrorists.

It is indeed good news that the government has finally swung into action to combat terrorism in the areas infested by these elements. But the question is why such preparations were not taken from the government's side long before the situation came to a head? It is said that the so-called KNF group has not been created overnight and, according to some security experts, the group consists of members from ethnic groups, namely, Bom, Pangkhwa, Lusai, Khiang, Mro and Khumi. The very fact that members of all these very small ethnic groups could make a common cause with the armed group known as KNF is concerning. For the name of the group reflects that it has a political agenda. When something becomes a cause and a group begins to claim as such, then it is a serious issue and cannot be taken lightly. It is said that all the small ethnic groups who have reportedly sworn their allegiance to the KNF feel that they got short shrift from the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord reached in December, 1997. In fact, the majority ethnic minorities populating the Chittagong (CTG) Hill Tracts were Chakma and Marma. So, they became the main beneficiaries of the peace deal. Actually, the CHT peace accord was signed between the Bangladesh Government and the Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), then an overwhelmingly Chakma-dominated insurgent group. Small wonder that other small groups of people living in the CHT districts who had their separate ethnicities and cultural identities were left out in the cold. That means, sometime somebody would begin to talk about them, their rights and so on and they will listen. Nathan Bom, from the Bom community, one of these marginalised ethnic groups of the CHT, is learnt have been leading the KNF. A disgruntled former Dhaka University student, who failed to land a good job or start a business after graduation, Nathan Bom, received training in armed insurgency from different places from across the border both in India and Myanmar and has finally formed this armed group called KNF. But however modest this person's background might be or whatever has led him to become an outlaw, frustration or otherwise, he and his organisation now pose a significant security threat to the country. KNF, definitely, has external connections and has sympathisers across the border. It is said that the Mizos of Mizoram, an Indian state bordering Bangladesh, are sympathetic to the Kuki-Chin people of Bangladesh and have even been calling for giving shelter to people from this ethnic group infiltrating into Mizoram. Their bond lies in their religious belief: Christianity. The Chakmas and Marma, on the other hand, are mainly Buddhists. These marginally small ethnic groups are mostly inhabitants of Ruma, Barkal, Baghaichhari, Roangchhari, Bilaichhari of Bandarban district. Notably, these areas are close to the Chin state of Myanmar and Mizoram in India. Unsurprisingly, these ethnic minority groups of Bangladesh have cross-border connections and Nathan Bom of KNF took advantage of these connections to grow into a security threat to Bangladesh. While addressing the KNF-led terrorist attacks in Bandarban, the government will be required to exercise caution so that the entire issue is not looked upon as a purely law and order problem. For the terrorism unleashed by KNF has its political dimension, too, because the terrorist outfit claims to be representing the aforementioned ethnic groups living in that locality.

Evidently, the government is aware of this caveat and would reach out to those marginalised communities that KNF says it represents and try to address their genuine grievances.​