by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, October 2, 2025:
Arakan Army (AA) forces expelled Rohingya villagers from their homes in Hla Bawzar village (Bawlla Para) of Maungdaw Township on September 30, forcing men, women, and children to sit outside under the hot sun without food or water for nearly ten hours while soldiers searched every house.
Villagers Forced Out of Homes
More than 50 armed members of the Arakan Army entered the village around eight in the morning and ordered everyone to leave immediately. “Even the small babies and breastfeeding mothers had to sit outside. We were hungry the whole day and nobody was allowed to go inside,” one villager told Rohingya Khobor.
Local residents said the AA accused the village of supporting the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) after finding the letters “ARSA” written on a wall. Because of this, the AA punished the entire community. Soldiers searched every house until evening but found nothing. The villagers were finally allowed to return home around 6 pm.
“Some of us thought they would beat or arrest people but in the end they let us go. Still, we suffered in the sun and hunger all day. Children were crying and old people could not bear it,” another resident said.
Orders to Remove Fences
In several Rohingya areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung now under AA control, the group has also ordered residents to remove fences in front of their houses, leaving families exposed and fearful.
Pattern of Abuse
Human rights monitors say such incidents reflect a continuing pattern of abuse. When the Arakan Army seized control of large parts of northern Rakhine State in 2024, reports emerged of Rohingya civilians being killed, women assaulted, and entire villages looted or burned. Witnesses now warn that similar acts of persecution are recurring under AA administration.
