by Hafizur Rahman
Buthidaung, Rakhine State, April 23, 2026 — Two Rohingya families traveling from Buthidaung to Maungdaw were reportedly forced to pay large sums of money at a checkpoint controlled by the Arakan Army on April 19, according to local sources.
The incident occurred at the 3 Miles Gate area, where each person was reportedly required to pay 10 lakh kyats to continue their journey. The families were traveling from areas including Taung Bazar and Naran Chaung.
Sources said the payments were demanded during their movement, making travel extremely difficult for civilians. Many Rohingya families are already facing serious hardship, and such high costs are adding further pressure.
Residents said restrictions and financial demands of this kind are becoming more common, limiting freedom of movement and increasing fear within the community.
There has been no official statement from the Arakan Army regarding the incident.
