Should India Worry About Seizure Of Kuki-Chin National Front Uniforms In Bangladesh? Exclusive
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According to intelligence sources, the KNF crisis in Bangladesh poses a risk to India's security and regional stability
Over 30,000 Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) uniforms have been seized from a garment factory in Chattogram, Bangladesh, in what intelligence sources called an example of terror financing.
Acting on a tip-off, Ringvo Apparels located in Nayarhat was raided on May 17-18, and the seizure was disclosed on May 25. The factory owner, the individual who placed the order, and a local KNF commander have been arrested, said police.
The uniforms deal was a Tk 2 crore (approximately 20 million USD) contract finalised in March 2025, with delivery scheduled for May 2025. A case was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act on May 18 at the Bayezid Bostami Police Station in Chittagong. The factory's owners claimed they were unaware of the illegal nature of the order until police intervention.
WHAT IS KNF? ITS LINK TO INDIA
CNN-News18 has earlier reported that the KNF, active in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, aims to establish a separate state. The group has been accused of extortion, kidnappings, bank robberies, and collaborating with Islamist militants.
According to sources, the KNF crisis in Bangladesh poses a risk to India's security and regional stability. The Chittagong Hill Tracts border India's Northeast and Myanmar's Chin State, creating a critical tri-junction for militant coordination. The KNF maintains close ties with Myanmar's Chin militants and India's Northeastern insurgents, forming a united front against India.
'The discovery of uniforms for a cadre of 12,000 suggests stockpiling for future recruitment, resale, or collaboration with other militant groups. The large-scale production of uniforms indicates the militarisation of the KNF and signals preparations for prolonged conflict or territorial control," they said.
KNF militants have reportedly entered Mizoram disguised as refugees fleeing Bangladeshi military operations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, raising concerns about insurgents establishing bases in India, smuggling arms, or conducting training activities. The KNF has connections with Jamaa'tul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAFHS), an Islamist terror group, aiming to target Northeast India through cross-border attacks and radicalization.
'The Tk 2 crore uniform contract exemplifies how banned groups like the KNF exploit legal businesses in Bangladesh. The use of intermediaries to place orders and the lack of due diligence by factories like Ringvo Apparels, a profit-making company, highlight vulnerabilities in the system. The Bangladesh Army's intervention signals that the issue has escalated beyond local crime," sources said.
The KNF's history of bank robberies and ties to Islamist militants has further raised fears of coordinated attacks or insurgency growth.
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