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and Tk 2 lakh from Krishi Bank,” said Thanchi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Mamun.

The robbers could not break open the vaults, he added.

He said they apprehend that yesterday’s robbery was committed by the same group that attacked the Sonali Bank branch in Ruma the previous day.

Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin said they are working to rescue the abducted Sonali Bank manager alive and maintain law and order in the area.

“The operation against the group is ongoing, and BGB and police are working there,” he added.

Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun said tough actions will be taken against those involved in the robberies.

ROBBERY ATTEMPT IN RUMA

Earlier around 8:30pm on Tuesday, armed men stormed the Ruma Upazila Parishad complex and took 14 weapons, including two light machine guns, of security personnel but failed to take any money from the Sonali Bank branch there, investigators said.

Two teams of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar went to Ruma yesterday and collected evidence.

They opened the bank vault and found Tk 1.59 crore in it.

Chattogram Zone Special Superintendent of Police Shahnewaz Khaled said no money was looted.

Sources in law enforcement agencies said the gunmen took two light machine guns with 60 bullets, eight rifles with 320 bullets, and four shotguns with 35 cartridges.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Mamunur Rahman and Constable Touhidul Islam were injured when the armed men attacked them to get the machine guns.

Narayan Das, a senior officer at the bank, told The Daily Star that over 100 armed criminals, who were in uniforms and had camouflage face paint, took part in that operation.

“When they entered the area there was a power cut. We could not properly see their faces in the dark,” he explained.

Narayan said the attackers went to the mosque and started looking for Nezam Uddin, the branch manager. Under threats at gunpoint, locals identified Nezam.

“As soon as I reached there, the gunmen apprehended me along with a few locals,” he said.

Eventually, the gunmen entered the bank with Nezam but failed to get the vault opened, Narayan said, adding that the attackers then vandalised the computers of the bank.

Soon after they left with Nezam, power was restored in the area, he said.

The home minister said the group had snapped the power line before entering the upazila complex.

He added that KNF colluded with militants and arranged the training for the armed groups.

“They had been neutralised through army and Rab operations, but they have been reasserting their strength in different ways recently,” he said.