Desperate Rohingya Family Pushed Back by BGB

For months, the Rohingya community in Arakan State, Myanmar, has been caught in the crossfire between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military. The relentless violence has left many Rohingya families homeless, their villages reduced to ashes. Among them was Ali Ahmed, a resident of Buthidaung Township, who was brutally killed by the AA in June 2024. His only crime was being Rohingya.

Ali Ahmed was the sole breadwinner for his family, which included his wife and six children. They were already struggling to survive, but after his murder, their situation became even more desperate. With no means to sustain themselves and no one left to protect them, the family made the heartbreaking decision to flee their homeland in search of safety in Bangladesh.

On July 20, 2024, Ali Ahmed’s widow, Minara, gathered her children—Rojia (15), Rokia (13), Mohammad Sha (11), Zainof (8), and little Mohammad, just 4 years old—and embarked on a dangerous journey across the river to Bangladesh. Their hearts were heavy with fear and uncertainty, but they hoped to find refuge on the other side.

However, upon reaching the shores of Bangladesh, their hopes were dashed. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) apprehended the family and took them to the Jetty of Bodi in Teknaf. For days, they were held there, helpless and scared. Then, on July 31, 2024, the BGB forced them back to the very place they had fled from, with no regard for the danger they would face upon their return.

Since then, there has been no word from Minara and her children. Did they survive the treacherous journey back? Were they kidnapped by robbers? Or did they meet an even darker fate at sea? The silence is unbearable for their loved ones.

A relative of Ali Ahmed, who lives in a third country, is pleading with the Bangladesh government, especially the BGB, to find out what happened to this vulnerable family. They had nothing—no food, no shelter, no protection. Their only hope was to escape the violence, but now their lives are in limbo, and their fate unknown.

This is not just a story of statistics or headlines. It’s the story of a mother and her children, who wanted nothing more than to live in peace. Their lives matter. We must not forget them.

Rohingya Vision News