by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar | April 18, 2026
Rohingya villagers in northern Maungdaw are being compelled to perform unpaid labor for road construction, according to local sources, raising concerns over worsening humanitarian conditions.
Sources said each village has been ordered to send around 50 people to work for three consecutive days. Those assigned must cover their own food and other expenses while carrying out the work.
The labor reportedly includes breaking stones, loading materials onto trucks, and digging bunkers and trenches near military areas. Residents said the work is physically demanding and continues from early morning until evening.
One villager told Rohingya Khobor, “We work from morning to evening without food or rest. If we stop, they shout at us. We are treated like we are not human.”
Another resident said, “We have no money to buy food, but we are still forced to work. Many of us feel weak and hungry while doing heavy labor.”
Community members said the situation is placing additional strain on already vulnerable households, as those who typically earn income are taken away for unpaid work.
A resident said, “We are already struggling to eat two meals a day. This forced labor is making our lives even more difficult. Poor families are suffering the most.”
Sources said the practice is ongoing, with different villages being called in rotation. Residents expressed concern that the situation will further deepen poverty and hardship in the area.
