“During Ramadan month, the Rohingya community is always going to market. They also go to market for Eid festival with their family members. They never bring their papers with them as it they live very close to central Maungdaw,” according to an elder.

Due to the short distance from the bridge to their homes the pedestrians aren’t required to bring their identification, and the police know this, yet they are still making them pay them money. Rohingya owned taxis that cross the bridge must also pay up. There are also reports of those with legitimate documents being extorted, according to a police aide that didn’t want their name used.

“The police personnel are stationed on the bridge between Myoma Kyayoungdan and Myo Thugyi village on the Maungdaw to Buthidaung highway,” according to a Maungdaw village administration officer.

The police are taking between 100 to 1000 kyat from Muslims crossing the bridge.

The police replaced the Nasaka last month. When the government abolished the notorious border guard force many hoped things would get better but it appears that the police are picking up where Nasaka left off taking over many of their racketing operations.