EC suspends Upazila polls in Bandarban’s Ruma, Thanchi, and Rowangchhari

The Election Commission has suspended elections in three Upazilas in the Bandarban District amid ongoing joint operations in the area following robberies at three bank branches by the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).

The EC had previously announced polls in Thanchi and Rowangchari on May 8 and in Ruma on May 21. The election regulator now says voting will be held in these Upazilas at a later time when convenient.

An inter-ministry meeting on the 6th Upazila Elections led by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal was held at the EC’s headquarters on Tuesday. The decision to delay the elections in the three Upazilas was made at the meeting.

Top officials of various ministries and organisations including four election commissions, public security department, public administration, police, BGB, RAB were also present during the meeting.

“Law enforcing officials and the administration have been directed to act in coordination,” said EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam following the end of the three-hour long meeting.

"We have decided to postpone the elections based on the information provided by the intelligence agencies. Law enforcing officials will be deployed per the demand during the four phases of the elections."

Bangladesh has 495 Upazilas. This year, 485 of them will go to the polls in four stages. The elections for the remaining Upazilas will be held after their council terms conclude.

The first phase of the 6th Upazila council elections will begin on May 8 with polls in 150 Upazilas, the second phase is on May 21 with polls in 161 Upazilas. The fourth phase of polls is set for Jun 5.

On Apr 2, over 100 men attacked the Sonali Bank branch in Ruma Upazila's Sadar area. As many as 20 people, including bank officials and security personnel, were assaulted, and the branch's manager, Nezam Uddin, was abducted. At least 10 police weapons and four other weapons of Ansar personnel were stolen during the heist.

The following day, a group of armed robbers looted the Thanchi branches of the Bangladesh Krishi Bank and Sonali Bank. They took Tk 208,000 from Krishi Bank and Tk 1,500,000 from Sonali Bank.

According to law enforcing officials, the KNF, also known as the Bawm Party, were involved in the attacks.

Bank Manager Nezam Uddin was rescued from a hilly area in Ruma Upazila two days after the bank robberies.

Since then, joint forces have been raiding Ruma and Thanchi Upazilas to recover the stolen weapons and money.

A joint force of the army, BGB, RAB and the police are conducting the raids to arrest the 'terrorists.'

As many as 71 people, including 21 women, have been arrested so far, according to the police.

The Directorate of Inter-Services Public Relations-ISPR reported the death of a 'member' of the KNF on Monday during an operation by joint forces in Bandarban's Ruma Upazila.