A series of child kidnappings has been reported in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, with kidnapping gangs allegedly demanding ransom from victims' families, according to residents of the camps.
According to Rohingya refugees, six-year-old Rahamat Ali, a resident of Block E4 in Refugee Camp No. 11 in Cox's Bazar District, was abducted by an unidentified armed group on July 22.
A resident of the camp said the kidnappers reportedly lured the child outside the camp fence with snacks before taking him away. The perpetrators were armed, and while their affiliation could not be confirmed, the resident believed they may have links to armed groups operating along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.
"Child abductions like this have become almost routine in the camps," the resident said.
Another camp resident, who requested anonymity, said the kidnappers tied up the child and showed him to his father during a video call while demanding a ransom of between 600,000 and 1 million Bangladeshi taka.
The kidnappers also reportedly threatened the child's father, Mohammad Junaid, saying they would kill the boy if the demanded ransom was not paid.
A relative of the family said, "It is nearly impossible for a refugee family in the camp to raise such a large amount of money. The child has still not been released, and we fear he may never return."
Residents also said that a video recently circulated on social media allegedly showing another Rohingya child from the refugee camps who had been kidnapped and beaten to death. Karnaphuli has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the video.
A Rohingya youth, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Some families pay the ransom but still never get their loved ones back alive."
Refugees said weak law enforcement inside the camps has enabled armed groups and criminal gangs to carry out kidnappings for ransom, killings, and other violent crimes with increasing frequency.
Camp residents also said that worsening economic hardship has left innocent refugee families, particularly children and women, increasingly vulnerable to becoming targets of criminal groups.
Local sources further reported that armed groups, including ARSA, RSO, and ARA, continue to maintain a presence and conduct activities along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.
Photo – VOA
