LAW enforcement operation at Ruma in Bandarban after the attacks on banks and security facilities there between April 2 night and April 3 afternoon that Kuki-Chin National Front operatives are believed to have carried out raises a couple of issues that the government should mind cautiously. Improper measures could very well give rise to misgivings that might be troublesome in the long run for both the government and the people there. The armed group attacked two Sonali Bank branches at Ruma and Thanchi and a Krishi Bank branch at Thanchi, looted firearms, bullets and cash and abducted the manager of the Sonali Bank branch at Ruma. More than a hundred operatives of the group attacked the Ruma bank branch at night and the Thanchi bank branches an hour after the noon the next day. The authorities have so far arrested 63 people suspected of being supporters of the Kuki-Chin National Front in joint drives that began on April 3. The joint operation that the army and the law enforcement agencies carried out in April 7鈥�8 arrested 49 suspects while the police arrested five, including a driver reported to have driven the armed KNF people to Thanchi on April 3.
The government should remain cautious about its operation against the Kuki-Chin National Front in that no ordinary citizens should be harassed by way of the operation. A wholesale operation has already raised concern in that part of it could be high-handed, creating inconveniences to ordinary people, who are by no means related to the armed group in question. There has already been a whiff in the air about such concern and a demand that the authorities should remain cautious about this as it could create misgivings about the law enforcement agencies and other security forces in the area. What has given rise to further concern is that residents of the area are reported not to be able to buy more than five kilograms of rice each at a time as part of a measure to check against the stocking of food by Kuki-Chin National Front supporters. The upazila nirbahi officer, however, brushes aside having set any limit on the purchase of rice, noting that some restrictions have been imposed to stop people not known to grocers from buying rice and other essential goods in the area. While it is important for people to be able to buy more than five kilograms of rice in view of exigencies, it is also pertinent that no shop owners should know all the people that buy goods from them. This could virtually constrain people鈥檚 life and living. The deputy commissioner says that the restrictions were imposed in 2023 to check against the smuggling of goods. But there could be ways to check against the smuggling of goods other than imposing restrictions on the purchase of rice and other essential goods.
The government must, therefore, be cautious in dealing with Bandarban issues to avoid any misgivings among the people living there about administration and security issues.
