Manungdaw, Arakan State: A Rohingya was sentenced to five years in jail on September 5, 2009 by Maungdaw court, but, it was reduced to one after he paid 100,000 kyats as bribe, said a trader from Manudaw town.

The victim was identified as Nazimul Hussain 25, son of Maziullah, from Kawar Bill of Maungdaw Township.

Nazimul was arrested by Burma’s border security force Nasaka on August 29, on the charge that he had illegal entered and living in the village, said a villager.

One year ago, Nazimul including other Rohingya people left Burma for Malaysia to find a better life, because of the ruling junta’s oppression and persecution of Human Rights abuses in Arakan State. During their journey, they were arrested by Burmese Navy force from Irrawaddy division and sent to Rangoon for further interrogation as the people are from Northern Arakan State, according to sources.

During their arrest by the navy, Nazimul claimed himself to be a Bangladeshi citizen for fear and torture with jail term by the Burmese authorities. Later, he was sent back to Bangladesh as a Bangladeshi, the sources said.

When he arrived in Bangladesh, he entered his native village and explained all to the village authority, who allowed him to stay with the understanding where he had to pay an amount monthly.

“I had been living in my village for six months paying money to Zubair, brother of Chairman Nabi Hussain. Last month, I could not pay money for financial crisis. However, Nasaka personnel called Zubair and me to the Nasaka Headquarter where the Nasaka arrested me. In the Nasaka camp, I was severally tortured and beaten up and handed over to the police,” said Zubir in the court.

Now, he is in Buthidaung jail.