Rohingya camps are now crime town

Rohingya camps of Cox's Bazar have turned into a town of murder due to seven reasons including extortion, arms trade, and dominance.

In the last six years, 190 Rohingyas have been killed in the camps. Among them, 85 people were killed in one year from August 25, 2022, to August 24 this year. Among them are ordinary Rohingyas, members of terrorist groups, camp sailors, sub-signors, and Rohingya community leaders. Behind these killings there are 60 extremist and terrorist organizations active in Rohingya camps.

Professor Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury said, “To control the crimes of the Rohingya camp, joint raids should be carried out by identifying the criminals. If their criminal activities are not controlled, the nation will have to pay the price. At the same time, it is necessary for the government to increase diplomatic activity and ensure their repatriation in a quick time.

Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police (SP) Mahfuzul Islam said, “Law enforcement agencies are working together to control all crimes including murder, and kidnapping in Rohingya camps. Regular operations are conducted based on intelligence information.”

“At the same time, the patrol has been strengthened. A check post has been installed. Efforts are being made to keep law and order in the camp under control.”

“The Rohingya camps are surrounded by mountains and inaccessible. Apart from that there are various obstacles. We have to work under adverse conditions in the Rohingya camps. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies are working in the camp to deal with all situations,” he added.

According to the district police and the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) engaged in law and order control of Rohingya refugee camps, 33 Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar have been in conflict since mid-2018. As many as 190 murders have taken place in the camp till August this year. 85 people were killed in one year from August 25, 2022, to August 24 this year. Among them, 46 people were killed in clashes and shootings. The long list of dead includes ordinary Rohingyas as well as community leaders, volunteers, or religious leaders.

At the end of last year, target killings were added to the Rohingya camps. This kind of murder is happening in the center of domination. 18 Rohingya sailors, 12 Arsa members, and one volunteer were killed in the targeted killing. The rest are ordinary Rohingya. Apart from murders, abductions have also taken a terrible form in Rohingya camps.

At least 600 abductions have taken place in Rohingya camps in the last six years. Although, this number is 350 in the police account. In 2022, the country's law enforcement agencies arrested 2,531 Rohingyas for various crimes including murder, use of illegal weapons, drug trade, robbery, rape, kidnapping, human trafficking, and attacks on the police.

At that time 1 thousand 220 cases were filed against them. The previous year in 2021, 1,628 people were arrested. There were 666 cases.

There are at least seven reasons behind the killings and abductions in Rohingya camps. They are the control of extortion in the camps, yaba business, human trafficking, arms trade, kidnapping, dominance, and market control. 11 terrorist groups are the most active behind the killings inside the Rohingya camps.

Among them, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) and Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), Islami Mahaj, Jamiatul Mujahideen, Nabi Hussain Group, Munna Group, Dakat Hakim Group and Dakat Saleh Group are active. Law enforcement agencies have drawn up a list of 60 terrorist groups to control crime in Rohingya refugee camps.

Among the terrorist groups in this list are Master Munna, Nabi Hossain, Maulvi Taiyub, Kala Putu, Abu Kalam alias Jabu Jaku, Md Islam, Master Md Ayub, Mohib Ullah, Kainus, Mostak Ahmed, Md Islam, Md Jamal Hossain, Shah Newaz, Joynal Hossain, Abdul Amin alias Kalu Dakat, Rubel, Ruaiya alias Ravi, Jamal Hossain, Md Delwar, Md Hamid, Karim Ullah, Md Osman Choto, Syed Noor, Ziabur Rahman alias Jabu, Salim, Ilyach, Abul Hafez, Kalaichcha, Md Ayaz, Abdul Amin, Md Taiyub, Md Alam aka Nala, Md Kamal Hossain, Md Saddam, Didar Ahmed aka Naigya, Md Emran Hossain, Zafar Alam aka Bhullu Dakat, Khokon, Ibrahim, Md Nur, Md. Rafiq, Abdur Rajab, Riduan, Shalbagan Osman Gani alias Ayash, Nur Hossain alias Munia, Karim Ullah, Mubarak Hossain, Md. Saiful, Yasin, Md. Alam, Harun Dakat, Md. Sadek, Abdur Rahman, Md Ismail, Md Ishaq, Md Haroon, and Imam Hossain are some of them.

A resident of the Rohingya camp, on condition of anonymity, said that the murders are happening in the Rohingya camp due to dominance and crime control. In many cases, killing is also being done to avenge the murder. Common residents are living in fear due to terrorist groups.

(The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on September 23 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)