August 20, 2025
RHRC-The plight of the Rohingya continues to deepen across Bangladesh and Myanmar, with refugees facing insecurity inside overcrowded camps, displacement along border rivers, and dire persecution under many forces and armed groups in Rakhine State. While Bangladesh prepares to host an international conference to address the crisis, Rohingya families remain trapped between violence, extortion, and closed borders.
On 19 August 2025, a Rohingya refugee from Kutupalong camp, identified as Nurul Absar was kidnapped for ransom money. Subsequently he was brutally slaughtered by his abductors as his guardians were unable to pay the demanded amount of ransom, according to sources.
Following an immediate investigation, three suspected kidnappers were arrested in connection with the crime. Law enforcement officials confirmed that they are currently being held for questioning, and further investigations are underway to identify any additional perpetrators or motives behind the killing.
Hundreds Stranded Along the Naf River
Across the border, hundreds of Rohingya refugees are stranded along the Nat Rive, fleeing airstrikes and armed clashes in Rakhine State remain stranded on Laldia Island and along the Naf River. With Bangladesh Border Guard patrols tightening and rough seas blocking boat passage, families are trapped between war in Myanmar and sealed borders in Bangladesh. According to Rohingya leaders, an estimated 300 to 400 people have gathered on Laldia Island, fleeing fierce clashes in Rakhine State. Now, they wait without food, shelter, or safety, caught in what one camp leader described as a “three-way conflict” between the Myanmar Army, Arakan Army, and Rohingya armed groups. Even today on 20th August, 2025, 50 new rohingya people are entering Bangladesh from myanmar by swimming across the naf river
Extortion and Document Seizures Under AA Control
Life for those Rohingya in Rakhine State has worsened under the Arakan Army (AA), with many saying conditions are harsher than during Myanmar’s military rule. Fear, abduction, and extortion dominate daily life, forcing thousands to flee. Rohingya families in Buthidaung and Maungdaw report heavy taxation and forced labor under the Arakan Army’s control. Monthly fees of up to 50,000 kyats are demanded, while those unable to pay face punishment and hunger. Worse still, AA forces are seizing identity papers, land deeds, and household registers stripping families of proof of existence and erasing their rights. “The silence here is not peace,” one Rohingya explained. “It is suffering.”
Bangladesh to Host International Conference
From August 25, Bangladesh will host a three-day international conference on the Rohingya crisis at Hotel Baywatch in Inani, Ukhia. The event, marking the eighth anniversary of the Rohingya influx, will serve as preparation for a high-level conference on September 30 in New York during the UN General Assembly. Additionally, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will attend as the chief guest. According to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, foreign ministers, international envoys, Bangladesh missions abroad, and UN agency representatives are expected to join the discussions. The conference is being presented as an opportunity to mobilize global attention for the Rohingya refugee, but many Rohingya fear that while words are exchanged in hotels, their lives remain at risk in camps and conflict zones.
From kidnappings in Coz’s Bazar refugee camps to forced ransom and identity erasure in Rakhine, the Rohingya remain trapped in cycles of insecurity. Even as international forums promise dialogue, the immediate reality for displaced families is hunger, fear, and statelessness. The contrast between conference halls abroad and the desperate conditions on the ground underscores the urgent need for global action that goes beyond rhetoric and addresses the Rohingya’s right to safety, dignity, and justice.
