BANGLADESH: Around 16 Rohingya refugees were arrested in an anti-militant crackdown in Bangladesh. The country police arrested at least 16 Rohingya refugees after a series of raids in camps in Dhaka. Ten days ago, rights advocate Mohib Ullah was killed by unidentified assailants outside his office at Kutupalong.
Naimul Huq, the police official in charge of the raids said, “We have arrested 16 people in the past three days as part of a special drive we have launched after the murder of Mohib Ullah.”
Huq added that those arrested were not “involved in the murder of Mohib Ullah” and ARSA does not operate in the camps.
His family and fellow community leaders blame the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) for the murder. ARSA is a militant outfit behind a series of attacks on Myanmar security posts. As per the reports, Ullah’s growing popularity had enraged the group. On the other hand, ARSA has denied any involvement in the murder.
Ullah had become one of the most respected moderate voices advocating for Rohingya refugees. Earlier, around 800,000 people fled Myanmar for Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district.
Also Read: Two Days Of Clashes In Rohingya Camps
In an open statement, a senior leader of the slain leader’s rights group, said, “ARSA has created a reign of terror in the camps.”
“Since Mohib Ullah’s murder, I haven’t been able to go to my home. I’ve been hiding since the murder. ARSA members are following us and threatening us. I am helpless.”
Another community leader said, “ARSA militants tried to kidnap one of my relatives and the son of one of our members. Now we are all scared of our life. They want to kill me”.
