Police say one of the detainees is a suspected ARSA commander facing multiple criminal cases, including allegations involving murder, drugs and firearms.
by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar, 21 August 2026: Bangladesh’s Armed Police Battalion has arrested two alleged members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, including a suspected commander, during an operation in Rohingya Camp 6 in Ukhiya.
The two men were arrested at around 9:00 p.m. on August 19 after APBn received intelligence that they were staying in the camp, according to police.
They were identified as Mohammad Alam, also known as Musa, 40, and Abdul Hafiz, 22.
Additional DIG Mohammad Siraj Amin, commander of the 14 Armed Police Battalion, confirmed the arrests and said the operation was carried out based on intelligence information.
APBn described Alam as a suspected ARSA commander.
According to APBn, Alam is listed as accused No. 29 in the charge sheet of a murder case filed with Ukhiya Police Station. Police also said several other cases involving allegations of murder, drugs and illegal firearms are pending against him.
APBn said the two men told officers during preliminary questioning that they were active members of ARSA’s armed wing.
Rohingya Khobor could not independently verify that claim, and the allegations against the two men have not been proven in court.
Police said legal proceedings against both detainees are underway.
Mohammad Alam’s name had previously appeared on posters circulated in Rohingya camps in 2023 calling for the arrest of alleged ARSA members. At the time, police said individuals named on the posters would be arrested where there were criminal cases against them.
The latest arrests come amid continuing security operations targeting armed-group activity and serious crime inside the Rohingya camps.
