Bangladesh’s refugee camps, which shelter Muslim refugees fleeing violence from Myanmar, have reportedly become locations for abduction and forced conscription by armed groups aligned with the coup junta, according to the human rights organization Fortify Rights.
On July 26, Fortify Rights released a new report detailing the alarming trend of forced conscription of Muslims from refugee camps. The organization described these actions as clear violations of international law and human trafficking.
Ejaz Min Khant of Fortify Rights stated, “The abduction and forced conscription of Rohingyas (Muslims) may constitute human trafficking and must be addressed immediately.” He emphasized that the very individuals who had escaped atrocities perpetrated by the Myanmar military are now being compelled to serve the forces responsible for their suffering.
According to Fortify Rights, armed groups have been abducting Muslims from refugee camps in Bangladesh and transporting them to military bases and training camps in Maungdaw Township, located in Arakan (Rakhine) State. Following their training in Maungdaw, these individuals are reportedly armed and forcibly sent to frontline battlefields.
A 17-year-old refugee recounted his harrowing experience to Fortify Rights. He was abducted on March 1 by armed men he believed were affiliated with a Rohingya militant group. “They blindfolded me pointing a gun, tied my arms and legs with a rope, then abducted me into Myanmar,” the teenager said.
Fortify Rights reported that between March and May 2024, over 1700 Rohingyas were forcibly recruited by these groups to serve the coup junta.
The organization has called for an immediate cessation of forced conscription in Arakan State and other regions of Myanmar. Additionally, it urged Bangladeshi authorities to enhance protection for Rohingya refugees in camps to prevent such abuses.
