Armed criminals rob Sonali Bank in Ruma

Armed criminals stormed the Bandarban's Ruma upazila parishad complex last night, disarmed security personnel and took their firearms, robbed the the Sonali Bank branch there, and abducted bank manager Nezam Uddin.

Weapons of police and Ansar members responsible for the security of the bank and other establishments inside the complex were taken, Ruma Upazila Nirbahi Officer (acting) Didarul Alam told The Daily Star.

Didarul said a large group of suspected armed members of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) surrounded the upazila parishad complex during Taraweeh prayers around 8:30pm.

They entered the mosque, assaulted people, took away the mobile phones of all police and Ansar members.

The attackers forced the bank employees, who were  inside the mosque, to open the vault of the bank which is inside the upazila parishad complex. They left the area half an hour later with money from the vault, Didarul said.

Sources said the attackers took Nezam with them when they left.

Quoting locals, Upazila Chairman U Hla Ching Marma said scores of KNF members surrounded the area during Taraweeh prayers, took away the mobile phones of the police and Ansar members and abducted Nezam.

Osman Gani, deputy manager of Sonali Bank's Bandarban branch, said the Ruma branch had received a shipment of fresh bank notes yesterday. "We don't know how much money was there in the bank's vault. It can be known after accessing the central server," he said.

Police have stepped up patrols in the upazila.