The residents of Ruma upazila in Bandarban are not allowed to buy more than five kilograms of rice each at a time reportedly in a measure to check stocking of food by the Kuki-Chin National Front supporters.聽
鈥業 heard that people are not allowed to buy more than 5kg of rice each at a time in my upazila. The move is perhaps taken for checking food stocks by the KNF supporters,鈥� Ruma upazila chairman Uhla Ching Marma told 抖阴精品 on Monday.
Ruma upazila nirbahi officer Md Atikur Rahman said that they had not set any limit on buying rice, but imposed some restrictions to prevent unknown people from buying the staple and other essentials in the area.
鈥榃e have given verbal directives to the shop owners for not selling rice and other grocery items to unknown people,鈥� the UNO said.聽聽
The restrictions came into force at a time when law enforcement agencies were conducting a joint drive against the suspected KNF members following armed attacks on banks and police installations early this month.
Bandarban deputy commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin, however, said that the restriction on buying rice was imposed verbally in 2023 for checking smuggling of the essentials.聽
鈥業 am not aware whether it is imposed at the current situation,鈥� he added.
A total of 63 suspected supporters of KNF were sent to jail so far in a joint drive began on April 3.
鈥榃e have not conducted any joint drives today,鈥� said Raihan Kazemy, Bandarban additional superintendent of police for admin and finance.
Between April 7 evening and April 8, the joint operation carried out by the Bangladesh Army and other law enforcement agencies arrested 49 suspected KNF members and supporters鈥�31 male and 18 female鈥攚hile the police arrested five, including a driver who reportedly drove the KNF armed people at Thanchi on April 3.
The Inter-Services Public Relations directorate on April 8 said that they seized seven guns, 20 bullets, a laptop, a set of uniforms, and a pair of boots at Bethelpara of Ruma.
The people were sent to jail following their arrest in connection with attacks on banks and police installations when cash and arms were looted in April 2鈥�4.
