by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, October 20, 2025:
Rohingya residents in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, say they are being restricted from staying overnight in nearby villages without permission or a guest registration letter, making it difficult for them to travel even for urgent needs.
Permission Required for Overnight Stays
A Rohingya man told Rohingya Khobor, “If we go to another village for an emergency and need to stay overnight, we must get a recommendation letter from our village administrator. Without that letter, the other village will not allow us to sleep there.”
Another resident explained, “When we travel to nearby villages within the same area, we can go and return the same day without a letter. But if we want to stay the night, we must first report our name and get permission.”
Travel Restrictions Causing Fear and Hardship
A third person shared his experience, saying, “One evening I went to another village for a funeral without permission. It was raining heavily, and I wanted to stay the night, but they refused because I had no letter. The AA said anyone sleeping overnight without registration would be punished, so I had to walk home in fear.”
Residents said the Arakan Army (AA) has been enforcing these restrictions by checking travel papers at village checkpoints and sending back anyone found without proper documents.
Movement Under Tight Control
Many Rohingyas said the new rules have made daily life increasingly difficult. Even short-distance travel now requires official permission, creating fear and uncertainty within the community.
“People are afraid to move, even for family emergencies or community events,” one resident told Rohingya Khobor. “It feels like we are living in open-air detention.”
