Fate unclear of 168 Rohingya shuttled between forces near Bangladesh border

DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — A group of 168 Rohingya refugees has been repeatedly moved across conflict zones and border areas in recent days, exposing the deepening insecurity faced by civilians attempting to flee violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

The group, made up of men, women, children, and elderly people from 19 families originally from Buthidaung in northern Rakhine, has been transferred multiple times between different armed actors and authorities, with their current whereabouts still unknown. 

According to Rohingya Khobor, a Rohingya-focused news outlet, the families were first taken to Maungdaw on April 18 before being pushed toward the Bangladesh border the following night.

Local accounts indicate that many in the group were forced to pay large sums of money during their movement, pointing to the role of informal networks and possible exploitation amid the ongoing crisis. As they attempted to reach safety, the families reportedly faced pressure, restrictions, and repeated displacement.

On April 19, members of the group were detained by Bangladesh border forces after reaching or crossing into the border zone. Some were later sent back toward Myanmar, reportedly to a coastal area near southern Maungdaw, underscoring the fragile and often reversible nature of cross-border movements for Rohingya refugees.

The situation escalated further on April 20, when the group was again intercepted, this time by the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group operating in Rakhine State. They were later handed over to local administrative authorities, only to be moved once more the following day, including a transfer to an intelligence office and relocation by vehicle to an undisclosed destination.

Residents and local observers say such patterns are becoming increasingly common, with Rohingya civilians caught between armed groups, state authorities, and border enforcement agencies, often with little clarity over their legal status or safety.

The repeated transfers also highlight growing risks of extortion, as reports suggest money was collected multiple times from the group during their movement. Analysts note that the absence of stable protection mechanisms has created conditions where displaced populations are vulnerable to abuse at every stage of their journey.

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority from Myanmar, have faced decades of persecution, with hundreds of thousands fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh since a military crackdown in 2017. While many remain in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, those still inside Myanmar or attempting to cross borders continue to face severe risks, including violence, detention, and forced return.

The fate of the 168 individuals remains unclear, reflecting a broader crisis in which displacement does not guarantee safety, and movement itself has become a source of danger.