by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw and Buthidaung, Arakan State | December 20, 2025
Residents in northern Arakan State say the Arakan Army has begun collecting detailed information on Rohingya people who crossed into Bangladesh for medical treatment and on houses left empty by families who fled due to fighting, creating fear and uncertainty across Rohingya villages.
According to local residents, the data collection started in mid December in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships. Village and ward administrators have been visiting homes, asking families to identify relatives who are currently in Bangladesh for treatment and recording houses that are locked or abandoned.
Many Rohingya said those who crossed into Bangladesh did so out of necessity. Local health facilities were either closed, damaged by fighting, or lacked medicine and doctors. Some patients travelled with permission letters issued by the Arakan Army or medical documents, while others crossed urgently to save their lives.
A Rohingya man from Maungdaw told Rohingya Khobor that his family had no choice but to send his brother to Bangladesh after his condition worsened and treatment was unavailable locally. He said officials are now visiting their home and asking repeated questions about his brother and the status of their house.
At the same time, administrators are also listing homes left behind by families who fled during clashes. In several villages, residents said entire rows of houses remain empty, with locked doors and overgrown yards, as families have not been able to return for months.
A Rohingya woman from Buthidaung said her family fled when fighting broke out and left their house behind. She said administrators recently recorded their house number and family details, which has increased her fear about what may happen next.
Local sources said village administrators are carrying out the work under orders, but the purpose of the information gathering has not been explained. Residents said the data is being collected in both urban wards and rural villages.
An elderly Rohingya man expressed concern, saying authorities already know who crossed into Bangladesh and questioned why lists are being compiled again. He said many fear the information could be used to target families or seize property.
For now, anxiety is spreading among Rohingya communities. Some families try to check on their homes when possible, while others remain stranded across the border, waiting and hoping their houses will still exist when they are able to return.
