by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, Arakan State | May 23, 2026
Residents in northern Maungdaw Township have accused the Arakan Army and United League of Arakan of collecting large amounts of money from Rohingya villages for road repair projects while also forcing villagers to work without pay.
According to local sources, around 120 million kyats was collected on May 21 from Rohingya business owners in villages under AA Area (6). Residents said the authorities claimed the money was needed to repair the highway road connecting Maungdaw and Taungbro.
Villagers said a meeting was held on May 10 with Rohingya business owners from several areas controlled by the Arakan Army. During the meeting, officials reportedly instructed each village to contribute between 10 and 20 million kyats depending on the number of business owners living there.
“They told us the road repair needed money, so every Muslim village had to contribute,” one resident who attended the meeting told Rohingya Khobor.
Local residents said this was reportedly the fourth time money had been collected for the same road project. Villagers claimed that around 100 million kyats had already been collected on three previous occasions.
At the same time, residents alleged that Rohingya villagers are still being forced to provide unpaid labor for the road construction work.
“Rohingya villagers are breaking stones from the Mayu mountain area and working on the road themselves,” one local resident said. “People are asking where the money is going because the workers receive nothing.”
According to villagers, every Rohingya village under AA Area (3) has been ordered since April 2 to send 50 people for labor work.
Residents said the workers are required to work continuously for three days, breaking large rocks into smaller stones and loading them onto vehicles.
Villagers further alleged that workers must bring their own food and water and receive no payment for the labor.
“Some people do not even have enough money to buy food,” another resident said. “They work while hungry and tired. If someone rests because they are weak, AA members shout at them.”
Local residents said many Rohingya villagers are now questioning why millions of kyats were collected while communities continue facing forced labor without compensation.
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