By: Hafizur Rahman
August 8, 2025
At least 15 Daingnet families, totaling around 71 individuals, have returned from Bangladesh to their homes in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, according to local sources. These families had previously fled armed clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military.
Their return, facilitated with the support of Border Guard Battalion 34 of Bangladesh, took place via the Ghumdhum border gate in Naikhyangchari, Bandarban. Ten families crossed into Myanmar on July 22, and another five followed on July 23, re-entering through the Taung Pyo Letwe border area in northern Maungdaw.
Selective Welcome: Rohingya Detained, Extorted, Expelled
While Daingnet, Rakhine, Hindu, and Mro returnees have reportedly been allowed to resettle without obstruction, Rohingya families attempting to return from Bangladesh have faced arrest, extortion, and intimidation by AA forces, according to multiple credible sources.
“Only the Rohingyas were arrested,” said a local source. “They had to pay money to be released and were not allowed to stay in their homes. Some were threatened and expelled again.”
This pattern has deepened concerns among observers that AA is engaging in religious and ethnic discrimination, echoing—if not replicating—the oppressive tactics long used by the Myanmar military.
Mass Detentions and Financial Ransom
On April 26, 2025, the Arakan Army reportedly detained 17 Rohingya families—a total of 78 individuals (36 men, 42 women, and children)—in Maungdaw. They were held in custody for nearly four months and only released on July 22, after each family was allegedly forced to pay 2 million kyats (approx. USD 950) for their freedom.
That same day, another 25 Rohingya families from Ward No. 2 and Maung Ni village were also detained by the AA and remain in custody at the Maungdaw police station, according to local reports.
Human rights monitors say these actions amount to collective punishment and economic persecution, carried out under the guise of regional stability.
AA’s Shifting Role: From Liberation Force to Oppressor?
The Arakan Army, which once portrayed itself as a movement for justice and self-determination, is now drawing criticism for mirroring the repressive behavior of the Myanmar military it claims to oppose.
“AA once claimed to fight against injustice, but it is now acting like an authoritarian force itself,” said one Myanmar affairs analyst who has been tracking developments in Arakan State.
Observers warn that the double standard in treating Buddhist Daingnet versus Muslim Rohingya returnees not only reveals entrenched religious and ethnic bias but also undermines prospects for inclusive peace in the region.
