Narinjara News, August 3, 2025 

The Arakan Army (AA) has refuted the Bangladesh army's assertions that there is a connection between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), which is fighting for minority rights in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts. 

When Narinjara reached out to U Khaing Thukha, the spokesperson for the Arakan Army (AA), about the allegations made by Brigadier General Md Nazim-Ud-Daula, the Director of Military Operations for the Bangladesh Army, at a press conference held at the army headquarters in Dhaka on Thursday, U Khaing Thuka made the following statement.

"The Bangladesh army is making this accusation of our ties with the KNF to cover up the fact that they are supporting various Muslim terrorist groups, including the ARSA, operating within their territory near the Arakan border."

When asked at the press conference if the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) was attempting to extend its influence in the Chittagong Hill Tracts by obtaining weapons from the Arakan Army, Bangladesh Army Brigadier General Md Nazim-Ud-Daula responded, "The links between the KNF and the AA are not surprising given the common ideologies among their ethnic groups."

In response to this, U Khaing Thukha stated, "What we want to say is that the charges made by the Bangladesh army that we are supplying arms to the KNF are totally unfounded."

U Khaing Thu Kha argued that the reason why the KNF is supported is that it shares the same ethnicity and religion, which is also unacceptable.

"To gain a better understanding of the various ethnic groups in Bangladesh, I believe the military officers should research their history and relationships. This is due to the fact that, in terms of culture, ethnicity, and religion, the Mizo people of Mizoram state in India are only connected to the Kuki and some other ethnic groups. I want to emphasize that it is (absolutely) incorrect to accuse us of sharing the same religion and ethnicity when you don't know the true history.”

U Khaing Thu Kha also said, "Who founded the KNF? How did the Bangladesh Army create the KNF? Who established them for the divide and rule policy? Everyone who studies military politics is familiar with the history of the KNF. Everybody is aware of this. I would like to state that the claims made by others are unfounded and very annoying.”

The Bangladesh Army conducted a press conference last Thursday to address the arrest of Major Sadique of the Bangladesh Army for training members of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's party, and the press conference revealed connections between the KNF and the AA.

Brig. Gen. Md Nazim-Ud-Daula of the Bangladesh Army stated that the KNF is an ethnic armed group engaged in an armed battle against the Bangladeshi government and that earlier this year, eight Bangladeshi troops were murdered and several others were wounded in an attack by the KNF.