Ukhiya, Bangladesh: Kutupalong local youths are robbing Rohingya refugees in the local market where the refugees buy their daily uses goods from a local market near the camp under the Ukhiya police station, said a refugee on condition of anonymity.

“Shamsu – 47, a refugee from Kutupalong makeshift camp – was robbed by local goons at Kutupalong local market on December 26, at about 9:00pm.”

Shamsu met with local goons (youths) –sitting in the market and watching people (especially refugees) who are coming from Cox’s Bazar or other part of Bangladesh – while he got down from a microbus  which was coming from Cox’s bazar, according to eyewitness from Kutupalong Bazar.

“The local goons (Youth) also enter the makeshift camp every day and harassing the unregistered refugees – using fake note to the small grocery shops, distributing female refugees, looting and stealing chicken.”

“He had 15,000 taka and one mobile phone when he got down from bus and the local goons called and talked with him at the market.”

Later, he was handed over to gang leader who was former village member of Kutupalong village where the goons  leader order to  search him and found money and mobile which were taken by the gang leader, according to a local elder from Kutupalong village.  “The gang leader released him with empty pocket.”

However, the next day, someone closed to gang leader requested where Shamsu received 5000 taka and mobile phone, said a local.

“Shamsu is a dry fish trader, sells dry fish in the locals’ market for survival as he is a unregistered refugee in Bangladesh who fled from his home land – northern Arakan- for persecutions – movement and marriage restriction, education, health and religious persecutions, force labor, land confiscation, extortion and no permission to build resident building or religious building,” said a religious leader from camp.

Abul Kalam – a refugee from Kutupalong makeshift camp- was abducted by local youths  on December 23 at about 4:00 pm, for prohibited the local youths who frequently enter the camp and disturb the refugees’ females and harassing refugees. He was kept in a local area where severally beat up by the local youths and forcefully took a statement that included giving 5000 taka.

Similarly, Salim, a daily labor working in the Kutupalong local market, was beaten by local youths on December 24 with an allegation which said that he had beaten a local villager in the forest last year and demanding money for compensation. Nobody – authorities and local elders – were interesting to involve in the event.