Rohingya terrorists masquerading as ordinary Rohingyas are using sophisticated weapons like M-16, AK-47 and deadly grenades in the shelter camps of Ukhia-Teknaf in Cox's Bazar to compete to increase their power to dominate.

The situation has reached such a level that illegal weapons are now in every house of the camp. Such alarming information has come out in the field investigation in Ukhia-Teknaf of Cox's Bazar.

There are 34 small Rohingya camps in Ukhia and Teknaf of Cox's Bazar district. Among them there are 26 in Ukhia.

Currently, at least 50,000 Rohingyas are involved in various crimes in Rohingya camps. Among them, 10,000 Rohingyas are known to be involved in terrible activities.

Those concerned said that every day law enforcement forces are arresting them from one or the other camp on charges of 12 types of crimes including murder, kidnapping, drug, robbery, arms smuggling, fake money.

Apart from committing heinous crimes, they are involved in murders, disappearances, kidnappings, robberies and robberies as mercenaries and are becoming difficult to control through arrest and legal action. Most of those who are involved in Yaba, ice and various drug traders are Rohingyas.

The criminals are forming different groups-sub-groups among themselves and clashing with different groups within themselves to maintain dominance in the camp. At least 30 active armed terrorist groups have emerged within the Rohingya camps, each with between 30 and 100 members, focused on controlling and dominating the underworld.

Detectives said that Rohingya camps have become one of the transit points for drug trafficking in the country due to drug shipments from Myanmar. Hundreds of crores of yaba and new drug crystal meth are spreading in different parts of the country through these camps.

More than hundreds of crores of Taka woth of yaba are traded in the camp every day. Approximately 30 to 40 million pieces of yaba are exchanged daily. Armed terrorist forces have formed inside and outside the Rohingya camps mainly to control the Yaba trade.

Many Rohingyas have been coming and going in this country for business purposes since before independence. However, since the 1980s, thousands of Rohingyas migrated to Bangladesh due to military persecution.

Before 2017, at least 350,000 Rohingyas came and settled in Bangladesh. Then on August 25, 2017, when the terrible persecution of the Myanmar army began, the Bangladesh government agreed to give them shelter on humanitarian grounds. At that time, 750,000 Rohingya came in a year.

At present, more than 11 lakh 18 thousand Rohingya are living in 34 recognized camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas of Cox's Bazar. It was not possible for the government to properly verify the materials brought with these Rohingyas when they were accommodated for humanitarian reasons. Due to humanitarian reasons, the government gave them shelter, emphasizing the issue of saving their backs from the Myanmar army's bullets.

They have now become a headache for the government. Despite various diplomatic efforts to send them back, they have not been successful, besides, they are destroying the peaceful environment of Ukhia-Teknaf. The environment of the Rohingya camps is becoming bloody almost every month due to the shootings and attacks.

Law enforcement forces said that Bangladesh's border with India and Myanmar is still unprotected in various parts of the country. Arms for the Rohingyas come from these two countries through these places. Then they reached the camp by different techniques. But the main source of these weapons is Myanmar.

Apart from this, with the help of some local miscreants, they have made illegal weapons factories in the hilly areas and are collecting various types of indigenous weapons besides firearms.

A high-level government official who works with the border and camps said, “There is no doubt that arms are coming from Myanmar along with drug shipments. Drug lords hand over weapons to their carriers for use in drug trafficking. Many people are using Rohingyas as drug carriers. In that context they are using illegal weapons in any activity in the camp. It is causing loss of life.”

Locals said, “This conflict is centered on the dominance of various types of illegal business including drugs in the camp. Some have claimed that Myanmar has contact with these groups. Many accused the Myanmar military of being behind it. They claim that Myanmar is the main source of weapons for Rohingya terrorist groups.”

“Apart from that, how did the Rohingyas who came to Bangladesh six years ago after leaving aid get so many weapons? At that time many of us said that they had brought arms along with Yaba shipment when they came from Myanmar. The matter is clear if you look at the current condition of the camp,” they said.

Some Rohingya leaders said on condition of anonymity, “Most Rohingya camps are in hilly areas. Terrorists' weapons warehouse is also there. At night, they come down to the town to commit robbery and murder. Even professional killers kill on contract. After killing, they left again. Even one has 10 firearms. Some foreign, some local. Sophisticated illegal firearms in the camp are now in the hands of terrorists. However, some local people are also involved with them.”

According to RAB and police, “These are the weapons of the terrorist group in the camp. They build a stockpile of these weapons for murder-injury, drug-human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping-shop trade and domination. Weapons are mainly entering the camp through the sea, coast, border water and hill towns. However, it has been completely confirmed that the weapons also come from Myanmar. Besides, they are making weapons in the hill towns near the camp by bringing weapons makers. In other words, weapons are entering through all the border routes along with drug shipments.”

Intelligence sources said that weapons come from India and Myanmar through the borders of different areas. Especially since the camps in Cox's Bazar are close to Myanmar, weapons are entering the camps through Naf river, sea coast and hilly areas. Apart from this, native weapons are being made by bringing artisans to the hill town near the camp.

In particular, the arms are reaching the hands of the camp terrorists through Satkania, Bandarban, Rangamati, Naikshyongchari, Lama-Ali Kadam, Anwara, Banshkhali, Patenga, Sitakund, Ghumdhum, Ukhia and Teknaf borders. Although some of these are caught, most remain undetected.

@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on May 20 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan.