A Growing Crisis of Human Trafficking Across Camps and Borders
By RO Maung Shwe | Cox’s Bazar | May 9, 2025
For the persecuted Rohingya community, displacement has long been a painful reality. But in recent years, a parallel crisis has emerged—human trafficking by illegal dalals (traffickers) who prey on that very vulnerability.
From northern Arakan to the refugee camps in Bangladesh, a web of smugglers, brokers, and organized trafficking groups continues to trap Rohingya youth, women, and children in a cycle of false promises, abuse, and exploitation. In camps where legal status is absent, mobility is restricted, and hope is fading, dalals offer the illusion of escape—only to deliver survivors into far darker realities.
False Promises, Real Dangers
Traffickers often promise safe passage to Malaysia, employment abroad, or marriage opportunities, but what follows is usually torture, debt bondage, sexual abuse, and death. These journeys by sea, land, or through conflict zones frequently end in detention centers, slave-like conditions, or unmarked graves.
Despite repeated international outcry, legal protections remain weak, and law enforcement across borders struggles to dismantle the networks. The lack of formal recognition and documentation for Rohingya refugees makes them easy targets for traffickers, who operate with near impunity.
Survivors Speak: The Human Face of Trafficking
Mohammad Shaker
“As the eldest of eight siblings, I felt responsible to provide. A man near the camp said he could take me to Malaysia—no upfront cost. My parents agreed. He took me to Teknaf, then to Maungdaw, where I was handed to the Arakan Army. They demanded 100,000 BDT from my family. We paid. Then they took me to the Aykub region, tortured me, and demanded more. Eventually, we reached near Thailand, but more money was needed—my mother sold a neighbor’s necklace. I was arrested in Yangon, jailed for two years, and later deported. Now I’m back in the camp—with trauma, debt, and a broken future.”
Ashu Begum
A 20-year-old girl from northern Maungdaw, Ashu’s family resettled in Kutupalong camp after fleeing the 2017 violence.
“We couldn’t afford the dowry needed to arrange her marriage,” her father, Dil Mohammad, said. “Many came to see her but walked away. In desperation, we tried to send her to Malaysia. The traffickers promised a good husband—but they took everything and disappeared.”
Ayesha Akter
Ayesha survived her journey to Malaysia—but at a horrifying cost.
“We agreed to pay four lakh BDT, but by the end, we had paid over seven. I faced sexual violence along the way. I reached, but at the cost of everything,” she said quietly.
Solim Ullah
Solim’s sister had two sons and was married in Myanmar. After fleeing to Bangladesh in 2017, her husband arranged for her to join him in Malaysia.
“She left her children behind and began the journey. But she was gang-raped by Rakhine traffickers. She died before she could leave Myanmar. The dalals kept demanding more money, claiming she was alive. Later, we learned the truth from survivors.”
A Systemic and Spreading Threat
These stories are not isolated—they are echoes of a larger crisis. For every survivor who returns with trauma, many more vanish without a trace. In some areas, entire networks operate with tacit knowledge of authorities or local power brokers.
“Trafficking is not just crime—it is betrayal,” said one community leader. “It turns hope into currency and loss into profit.”
Conclusion: A Call for Urgent Action
The Rohingya trafficking crisis demands more than token condemnation. It requires coordinated international pressure, stronger laws, and real opportunities for the community to live with dignity. Without education, livelihoods, and legal protection, desperation will continue to fuel the trafficking machine.
The world must no longer look away.
It’s time to bring the dalals to justice—and give Rohingya lives the safety, opportunity, and recognition they deserve.
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