Hafizur Rahman
In a harrowing ordeal, 81 Rohingya, including 31 children, were detained by the Bangladeshi Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) as they tried to cross into Bangladesh from Myanmar’s conflict-torn Rakhine State early Monday morning. Fleeing intense violence, they were driven by the hope of sanctuary, only to face yet another barrier in their struggle to survive.
Hashim Ullah, 45, a relative of one of those detained, described the journey. “For over three months, they have been escaping a life of constant terror,” he said, recounting how the violence between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military has relentlessly targeted Rohingya communities. “Both groups, though pretending to oppose each other, share a common aim—to erase us from our homeland.”
According to Hashim, the so-called conflict between the two armed groups is a smokescreen. “They aren’t enemies in the way the world sees it. They share a silent agreement—to force the Rohingya out through violence, forced displacement, and even conscription,” he claimed, describing what he believes is a coordinated campaign of ethnic cleansing. “Caught between these forces, our people have no hope for peace or basic rights.”
Desperate to escape, the detained group crossed into Bangladesh through the rugged Kurukpata border in Alikadam, aided by brokers familiar with the territory. However, intelligence sources alerted the BGB, leading to their arrest. “The world only sees our journey as illegal crossings, but for us, it’s a struggle for survival,” Hashim added, appealing for understanding from the international community. “We are simply trying to protect our children from violence and secure the right to live.”
Lieutenant Colonel Akib Jabed, Commander of the 57 Battalion BGB in Alikadam, confirmed the arrests. “They crossed multiple points, moving under the cover of night,” he reported. Yet for the detained Rohingya, these measures represent another layer of barriers as they attempt to find safety amidst a situation that seems to offer no escape.
With Cox’s Bazar and Naikhongchhari borders now even more heavily secured, it becomes increasingly challenging for the Rohingya to seek sanctuary. The detained individuals are set to be transferred to the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, but their future remains uncertain as plans for repatriation to Myanmar loom ahead.
“Our plea is for safety, dignity, and peace,” said Hashim. “We ask the world to see beyond the borders and take a stand for a people who only seek the chance to live without fear
