Rohingya Businesspeople Forced to Pay Large Sums in Maungdaw

by Hafizur Rahman

Fear is growing among Rohingya families in northern Maungdaw Township, where residents say repeated demands for money by armed actors have pushed many households to the brink of collapse.

According to local residents, on 20 January at around 10:00 am, 25 Rohingya businesspeople from several villages were summoned to a meeting near a rescue camp in northern Maungdaw. The villages included Shwe Zar, Paung Zar, Hla Baw Zar, Pyin Phyu, Kyauk Hla Kar, Harbi, and Thayet Oak. Village leaders and representatives linked to the Arakan Army were reportedly present.

Large sums demanded

Residents said that during the meeting, AA representatives told business owners the money was needed to rebuild Mrauk U Public Hospital, which they said had been damaged by airstrikes. Each businessperson was asked to contribute between 500,000 and 1,000,000 kyats.

By the end of the meeting, residents estimated that more than 20 million kyats had been collected.

One Rohingya businessman said the payment was not voluntary. “They said it was for the hospital, but we had no choice. If we refused, we were afraid of what might happen next,” he said.

Pattern of financial pressure

Local residents said this was not an isolated incident. Rohingya communities in the area report being repeatedly forced to provide money and unpaid labor, including road repairs, bush clearing, and work on shrimp ponds. Residents said even the costs associated with these activities are taken from Rohingya households.

“We pay again and again,” said another resident. “Even when there is no income, they still ask for money. Sometimes three or four times in one month. People cannot survive like this.”

Residents said the demands are informal and undocumented, but widely understood within the community. Many families reportedly sell livestock, hide savings, or borrow money to meet repeated payments.

Flight across the border

In recent weeks, residents said the pressure has intensified, leading some Rohingya businesspeople to flee the area. Families have reportedly crossed into Bangladesh, leaving behind shops, homes, and years of work.

Residents said those who fled include families from Shwe Zar village and urban areas of Maungdaw. Some reportedly crossed with their families, while others left at night with only what they could carry.

“People are not leaving because they want to,” said one Rohingya man whose neighbor recently fled. “They are leaving because staying has become impossible.”

Community left in fear

For Rohingya communities in Maungdaw, residents say daily life is once again marked by fear, loss, and silence. Many say they feel trapped between armed actors, with no protection and no avenue to raise complaints.

As more families quietly disappear across the border, residents say villages are growing emptier, carrying stories of pressure and loss that remain largely unheard beyond the area.