The reason appears to derive in part from the activities of a bandit, Mohamed Nur from Aziznagor village in the Chittagong Hill tracts, who crosses the Bangladeshi border and robs villagers. A social worker from Thaung Bazar named Hassan was stabbed by the bandit in a violent attack on November 17, according to a village elder from Thaung Bazar.

“Mohamed Nur frequently robs Rohingya villages between Buthidaung and Maungdaw and escapes back to Bangladesh to stay with his accomplice in Aziznagor,” the elder said.

“We villagers of Thaung Bazar have lost the person who handled the security of our village, but the Nasaka are accusing us of allowing the bandit in. The authorities are not concerned with protecting the village, but simply want to extort money,” he continued.

“Most of the villagers are running away to escape this. The village has no men and it has become very risky for women to remain, especially at night,” said a village administrator.

Similarly, the villagers of Done Pite (Aung Deik Pyin) are facing increased harassment. Most of the male villagers have left to avoid arrest. According to an NGO worker, the tension stems from an incident on November 1 in which villagers killed two Nasaka personnel in retaliation for attempting to rape a local girl.

“The Nasaka surrounded the village and no one can enter or leave. The Nasaka arrested more than 15 villagers. One was killed and others were injured in the process,” the worker said.

Those men who fled the village and tried to return were subsequently arrested.