A group of armed assailants have robbed the Ruma Upazila branch of Sonali Bank in Bandarban

They also reportedly abducted the manager in the attack around 9pm on Tuesday.

Mohammad Shahjahan, chief of Ruma Police Station, said senior officials of the state-run bank were coming to check how much money the robbers have taken away.

The bank’s Managing Director Afzal Karim said he heard the robbers belong to separatist hill tribe group Kuki-Chin National Front or KNF, also known as the Bawm Party.

“But we have no confirmation on their identities yet. They have abducted our branch manager. We couldn’t trace him,” he said.

He also said it could not be confirmed whether the robbers were able to break into the vault.

The branch, however, does not have enough cash in the vault as it has a low rate of transactions, Afzal said.

The branch is guarded by police along with the bank’s own security personnel since it is in a remote area. “But they could not resist the terrorist attack.”

Soi Bong Marma, chairman of Ruma Sadar Union Council, said around 100 members of the Bawm Party took part in the robbery when bank officials were saying their prayers.

“Besides abducting the manager, they took away the arms of the security personnel and mobile phones,” he said.

A bank official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media, said Manager Nezam Uddin was saying his prayers in a mosque next to the bank.

He came out and started an altercation with the robbers after hearing a commotion.

“They abducted him after learning that he is the manager.”