by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw Township, Arakan State | December 31, 2025
Rohingya residents in Maungdaw say fear is spreading rapidly as the Arakan Army intensifies the collection of names for forced military service, prompting many families to prepare for escape toward Bangladesh despite the dangers involved.
According to residents from multiple wards, members of the Arakan Army have been visiting neighborhoods, going house to house to record names and warn families that selected individuals must report for training. As a result, daily life in Maungdaw has slowed sharply. Streets that were once busy are now quiet, shops remain half-closed, and many families are staying indoors.
“They came to our street and wrote down names from every house,” said a Rohingya man from Kanyin Tan Ward. “My family is terrified. We do not know who will be taken next. If we get any chance, we will run to Bangladesh.”
Residents say the recruitment is happening through three main channels. In the first, some married men and women are being assigned to a Village Defense Force and ordered to attend around 15 days of training. Afterward, they may be forced to carry out security duties within their village areas.
In the second method, another group is reportedly being sent for fire service training, though residents say details about the role and conditions remain unclear.
The third and most feared method targets unmarried youth, who are being selected for full military training. Families believe this will eventually lead to deployment on frontlines.
A young woman from Ward No. 3 shared her fear for her family. “My brother is only 18,” she said. “They told us he must join the training. We are afraid he will be sent to the battlefield. Every night we talk about how to escape before they take him.”
Residents said names have already been collected in Ward No. 1, 2, 3, 5, Kanyin Tan, Myo Oo, and Latha neighborhoods. Some believe those selected will be transferred to training camps in other townships before being sent to fighting areas near Kyaukphyu and Sittwe.
“Maungdaw feels like a ghost town,” said a Rohingya shopkeeper. “People do not gather anymore. Even the clock tower area, which is usually crowded, is empty. Everyone is trying to leave quietly before their name appears on the list.”
Families from both Rohingya and Rakhine communities are now looking for possible routes out of the town. Many say they feel trapped between the fear of forced recruitment and the dangers of fleeing, believing they no longer have any real choice.
Residents warn that unless the situation changes, Maungdaw may soon see another wave of displacement as families flee in silence to protect their children.
