By: Camp Correspondent
April 15, 2025 | Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
A growing number of Rohingya civilians from Buthidaung Township in northern Rakhine State are fleeing toward Bangladesh to escape starvation, forced labor, and widespread abuse allegedly carried out by the Arakan Army (AA), according to newly emerging reports and video evidence.
Since April 14, disturbing footage has circulated on social media showing dozens of families crossing the rugged Mayu mountain range, making their way through forested terrain toward northern Maungdaw, with the hope of reaching the Bangladesh border.
“They burned down our homes. Now we have nothing left—not even food or shelter,” said an elderly Rohingya woman who recently arrived near the border. “We’re living like displaced people, with no one to help us. If we don’t escape, we might die of hunger.”
A Pattern of Coercion and Desperation
According to multiple survivors and eyewitnesses, entire Rohingya villages in Buthidaung are being emptied due to intensifying pressure from AA forces. Reports detail forced evictions, systematic extortion, and coerced recruitment of Rohingya youth into armed service.
“AA forced us to leave through the Mayu mountain route. But halfway through the forest, they abandoned us,” said another elderly woman. “Later, ARSA fighters found us and helped us reach the edge of Maungdaw.”
In many areas, the AA has reportedly demanded labor from villagers for infrastructure work, imposed taxes without accountability, and arrested or assaulted those who could not comply. Children and teenagers have allegedly been beaten or taken away without formal charges.
“We’re being hunted like animals,” said a displaced father now hiding near the border. “They make us work, collect taxes, and arrest us without reason. Life has become unbearable.”
Starvation, Abandonment, and Fear
Families fleeing Buthidaung say they left behind entire communities where food supplies have collapsed, and essential goods are no longer available due to blocked roads, militia control, and collapsed market access.
“There’s no work, no food, and no one to protect us. If this continues, we’ll die—not from bullets, but from hunger,” warned one Rohingya elder.
Many of the escapees are now sheltering in forested areas along the Maungdaw-Bangladesh border, or are scattered across informal safe zones. With no formal refugee processing underway, most are surviving with no shelter, medical care, or consistent food support.
Calls for International Action
As conditions worsen, community leaders and humanitarian monitors are calling for urgent international attention and independent investigation into the AA’s treatment of Rohingya in Buthidaung.
While the AA has publicly claimed to promote ethnic unity, ground reports suggest continued targeting of Rohingya villages, and weaponization of displacement as a means of population control and fear.
“We have no voice, no land, and no safety,” said one displaced mother. “We are being erased again.”
