In a significant crackdown on Sunday, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Cheusim Bawm, the 55-year-old chief coordinator of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), from his residence in Sualok in Sadar Upazila of Bandarban.
Col Sazzad, commanding officer of RAB-15, announced the arrest at a press briefing at the Bandarban Zila Parishad Auditorium, reports UNB.
The operation marked a critical step in combating the activities of KNF which, according to RAB, was formed under the pretext of a cultural organisation by Roal Lin Bawm and Cheusim Bawm, with links to KNF chief Nathan Bawm.
Sazzad said Cheusim, a close associate of Nathan, was collecting money for the organisation and providing logistic support. Some terrorists visited Cheusim’s residence a few days ago for seeking advice. The bank robberies were staged as per his advice.
An air gun was recovered from Cheusim’s residence, he added.
The arrest follows statements made by Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed regarding the arrest of two suspected KNF members with firearms earlier in the day.
This action is part of a larger RAB initiative against terrorism in Bandarban, which saw over 100 members launch an operation on Saturday, targeting Ruma and Thanchi upazilas.
Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB's legal and media wing, earlier briefed the media about the commencement of this operation, which seeks to dismantle the network of terror rooted in the region.
This operation comes on the heels of the successful rescue of Nizam Uddin, the abducted manager of Sonali Bank's Ruma branch, underscoring the severity of KNF's criminal undertakings, including recent bank robberies in Thanchi Upazila.
The incidents have precipitated a tense atmosphere in the affected upazilas, prompting visits from senior home ministry officials, security forces, and administration representatives.
In response to these activities, eight cases have so far been filed with Ruma and Thanchi police stations, signalling a robust legal follow-up to the ongoing security operations.
Earlier, Nizam Uddin was rescued from the Bathel Para area of Bandarban through the mediation of RAB last Thursday, 48 hours after his abduction by KNF members.
The separatist group kidnapped the Sonali Bank manager on April 2 after attacking and failing to loot Tk 1.5 crore from the vault of the Ruma branch.
They also carried out robberies at Sonali Bank and Krishi Bank branches in Thanchi Upazila the next day.
