Ukhiya, Bangladesh: Local youths in Kutupalong are robbing Rohingya refugees in the local market near the camp under the authority of the Ukhiya Police Station where the refugees buy their goods for daily use, said a refugee on condition of anonymity.
“Shamsu, age 47, a refugee from Kutupalong makeshift camp - was robbed by local goons at Kutupalong local market on December 26, at about 9 pm,” reported the refugee.
Shamsu met with local youth sitting in the market and watching people (especially refugees) who were coming from Cox’s Bazar or other parts of Bangladesh, according to an eyewitness from Kutupalong Bazar.
“The local goons also enter the makeshift camp every day and harass the unregistered refugees – using fake notes at the small grocery shops, disturbing female refugees, looting, and stealing chickens.”
“Shamsu had 15,000 taka and one mobile phone when he got down from the bus, and the local goons called and talked with him at the market.”
Later, he was handed over to the gang leader, who is a former village member of Kutupalong village, to search him. The leader found the money and mobile, which were then taken, according to a local elder from Kutupalong village.
“The gang leader released him with empty pockets.”
However, the next day, someone close to the gang leader met with Shamsu and returned 5000 taka and his mobile phone to him, said a local.
“Shamsu is a dry fish trader. He sells dry fish in the locals’ market for survival as he is an unregistered refugee in Bangladesh who fled from his homeland - northern Arakan - for because of problems with movement and marriage restrictions, education, health and religious persecutions, forced labor, land confiscation, extortion, and no permission to build resident buildings or religious buildings,” said a religious leader from the camp.
Abul Kalam, a refugee from Kutupalong makeshift camp, was abducted by local youths who frequently enter the camp and disturb female refugees on December 23 at about 4 pm. He was kept in a local area where he was severely beat up by the local youths and made to write a statement that included giving 5000 taka.
Similarly, Salim, a daily laborer working in the Kutupalong local market, was beaten by local youths on December 24 with an allegation that he had beaten a local villager in the forest last year and failed to pay compensation. Nobody, including the authorities and local elders, were interested to investigate the incident.
