The Growing Insecurity in Rohingya Refugee Camp

The Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are no strangers to hardship, but recent events have left the community shaken to its core. From brutal assaults to horrifying kidnappings, a sense of safety and hope is slipping away for thousands living in these overcrowded camps.

For an elderly preacher, January 15 was supposed to be a night of reflection and repentance as he delivered a tawba (repentance) sermon at a mosque in Kutupalong Refugee Camp-3. But his evening took a terrifying turn when armed men stormed the mosque, abducting him in front of worshippers.

The assailants took him to Mushora, where they subjected him to brutal physical abuse, robbing him of his money, mobile phone, and wristwatch. Before letting him go, they slashed his face with a sharp weapon, leaving him gravely injured and his community outraged.

“This was not just an attack on one man but an attack on our shared sense of security and faith,” said a local resident.

On January 8, another horrifying story unfolded when a man was abducted while traveling in a CNG from Kutupalong. His simple journey turned into a week-long ordeal when his captors took him to Hnila and demanded over 500,000 BDT for his release.

The man’s family managed to pay the ransom after days of desperate pleas, but the scars of the experience remain. “We live in constant fear now,” said one relative. “No one feels safe traveling anymore, even for essential reasons.”

Perhaps the most gut-wrenching story is that of a 6-year-old boy, kidnapped on January 14 while on his way to buy snacks. The kidnappers sent chilling photos and videos to his family, showing the boy partially buried and shackled, crying out for his father to save him.

“Ah baba, please send money quickly and save me. They are burying me alive,” the child sobbed in the video.

Initially demanding 700,000 BDT, the abductors later reduced their demand to 200,000 BDT. But for a family living in extreme poverty, even this amount feels insurmountable. The parents, broken and desperate, have been begging in mosques to raise the money.

“This family’s pain is unimaginable,” said a neighbor. “And yet, their story is not unique—so many of us live under the shadow of this kind of horror.”

Adding to the community’s grief, the bodies of Momtaz Begum (38) and her daughter Subaida Bibi (19) were discovered in a toilet in Block 75. The circumstances of their deaths remain unclear, but the tragedy underscores the unique vulnerability of women in the camps.

“We live every day with fear,” said a woman from the same block. “We have no protection, no security, and no way to stop these tragedies from happening again.”

A Plea for Action

The rising wave of kidnappings, violence, and assaults has left the Rohingya community in despair. Community leaders are urging the authorities to take immediate and meaningful action to address the root causes of these crimes.

• Stronger security: Increased patrols and checkpoints are desperately needed, especially in high-risk areas.
• Support for vulnerable groups: Women and children, often the most affected, need safe spaces and support systems.
• Accountability: Perpetrators must be held responsible to restore a sense of justice and order.

“This is not just about the people we’ve lost or those we’re trying to save,” said a camp leader. “It’s about the lives of everyone here. We cannot keep living like this, in constant fear for ourselves and our children.”

Hope Amid the Darkness

While fear and grief weigh heavily on the community, the resilience of the Rohingya people remains unbroken. Neighbors come together to support one another, whether it’s helping a family raise ransom money or standing in solidarity after a tragic loss.

But the need for external support stronger security measures, greater accountability, and compassion from the international community has never been more urgent.

The cries of a young boy pleading for his life, the tears of a mother searching for justice, and the prayers of a community yearning for peace are not just stories—they are urgent calls for humanity to act. Time is running out, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Rohingya Vision News stands with the community, amplifying their voices and fighting for their safety, dignity, and rights.