Rohingya Forced into Unpaid Hard Labor in Buthidaung by Arakan Militias

by Hafizur Rahman

Buthidaung, September 13, 2025 – Rohingya residents in northern Arakan State have reported being forced into unpaid hard labor by the Arakan Army in several villages, including Du Daung and Titu Bauk.

Forced Labor Under Militia Rule

Villagers say Rohingya men are being regularly summoned by Arakan Army units to work on road construction, military site maintenance, and the building or repair of militia stations. Despite the heavy workload, no financial compensation is provided. Instead, Arakan Army members allegedly told the villagers, “We worked a lot for free, and now it’s your turn.”

Witnesses described harsh working conditions, including carrying heavy loads and mixing cement under scorching sun and heavy rain. In many cases, multiple men from the same household were taken at once, leaving families without providers. As a result, children are going hungry and farmlands remain uncultivated.

Worsening Humanitarian Conditions

Local humanitarian observers note that these practices are worsening an already fragile situation for Rohingya communities. The forced labor comes on top of widespread abuses, including home seizures, confiscation of property, forced displacement, and severe restrictions on movement through Arakan Army checkpoints.

“The community is already surviving under food shortages and limited aid. Forced labor is stripping them of what little dignity and stability they have left,” one observer explained.

The Arakan Army has not released any statement in response to these allegations.

Conflict and Vulnerability

The Arakan Army launched a major offensive against the Myanmar junta in November 2023, capturing control of 14 out of 17 towns in Rakhine State. While the conflict has weakened junta forces, it has not brought security for the Rohingya. Instead, they remain trapped between both sides, facing violence, forced displacement, and continuing persecution.

This latest situation echoes the trauma of 2017, when the Myanmar junta’s campaign—recognized internationally as genocide—forced nearly one million Rohingya into Bangladesh. For those who remained in Arakan, conditions have only deteriorated, leaving them vulnerable to both state and militia abuses.