Abductions for ransom are reportedly on the rise in Ukhiya and Teknaf, with both villagers and Rohingya refugees targeted
Published : 19 Jan 2025, 04:49 AM
A small child is buried in the ground, with only the upper part of his body exposed. The child repeatedly pleads for help, desperately begging to be saved.
A video, lasting several seconds, showing this heart-wrenching scene has been sent to his father.
Abdul Rahman, a refugee in the Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, could not comprehend what to do after receiving the footage. His 6-year-old son had been missing for two days.
The middle-aged father was struck with horror, realising that his son had been kidnapped.
The kidnappers sent the video along with a ransom demand of Tk 700,000.
This incident has brought a new wave of misery into Abdul’s life.
After eight years as a refugee, he once again faced the helplessness he had endured when he fled attacks and persecution in Myanmar in 2017.
His son, born two years after they were displaced from the Rakhine State, grew up in Ukhiya’s camp.
They now reside in Block C-15 of Camp No 19.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, Abdul described the events leading up to the disappearance of his son.
On Jan 8, like any other day, the child went to play at the camp’s field in the afternoon.
As the day turned to evening and then night, the child didn’t return.
Despite searching the camp, Abdul couldn’t find him.
For two days, his son’s whereabouts remained unknown, leaving the whole family devastated.
Then, after this agonising period, the kidnappers sent the video of his son to Abdul, demanding a ransom.
Abdul Rahman said, “At first, we sent Tk 50,000 to the kidnappers, hoping they would release my son. But instead, they continued to torment us with false promises.
“Finally, I had to pay Tk 210,000 to get my child back.”
After rescuing his son, Abdul approached the law-enforcing agencies responsible for security at the camp to report the crime.
However, they reportedly dismissed his pleas.
Abdul claimed that on Jan 12, he applied to the camp in-charge office for his son's rescue.
The request was later forwarded to the Ukhiya police, but he received no response.
Even after informing the authorities about the ransom payment, Abdul was allegedly questioned about how a poor Rohingya could gather such a large sum.
According to Abdul, he managed to arrange the ransom money by borrowing Tk 180,000 from his neighbours and collecting the rest through donations raised at the local mosque.
Abdul provided two copies of his application to bdnews24.com
However, Abdul still does not know how or through whom his son was kidnapped.
Enayet Ullah, a Rohingya leader (majhi) from the Ukhiya refugee camp, said victims are hesitant to approach the police for several reasons.
They often face intense questioning, and even after that, they rarely find any resolution to their problems.
On the issue of child abductions, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Samsud Douza said: “We are aware of the abduction incidents. We are in discussions with senior officials from the APBn [Armed Police Battalion] on the matter.
“While many crimes in the camps have decreased, steps are being taken to address the issue of abductions as well.”
Abductions have not been limited to just children from the refugee camps.
Recently, abductions in Ukhiya and Teknaf have seen a significant rise, with both villagers and Rohingya refugees being targeted.
The coastal areas are experiencing daily reports of abductions for ransom, with some days seeing two or three incidents.
Recently, 18 forest department workers were abducted while planting trees in the hills. They were later rescued. After the abduction, the victims were taken to deep forests.
There are allegations that Rohingya militants may be involved in these incidents.
However, according to locals, most victims are reluctant to approach law-enforcing agencies regarding these incidents.
On the other hand, controlling such a vast area like the refugee camps is a challenge for law-enforcing agencies due to their limited manpower.
While adults are frequently targeted, children in the Rohingya camps are also falling victim to abductions.
Several Rohingya refugees, including Abdul, highlighted a new tactic used by kidnappers—exploiting children’s “playmates” as bait to lure them.
The abductors entice children with promises of money or new items and use them in their operations.
Videos depicting such abductions have surfaced, some of which bdnews24.com has obtained.
In one such video, a child from Kutupalong refugee camp confesses to assisting in the abduction of another child.
The 5-minute and 19-second footage shows the child being detained and interrogated by a group of people.
The child, crying and visibly frightened, is seen confessing to her involvement while responding to the questioning.
In the Rohingya dialect, the 8- or 9-year-old girl can be heard saying: “A man named Abdur Sukkur called me and said that if I bring a small boy, he would give me Tk 500.
“If I entice him with the promise of buying clothes, he [Abdul Sukkur] would give me an additional Tk 50.”
In the video, the child also reveals her identity, which has been confirmed as accurate by several residents of the Rohingya camp.
Another video depicting abuse after abduction has surfaced, obtained by bdnews24.com
The 41-second footage shows a 6-7-year-old boy, dressed in a green shirt and blue pants, being beaten while lying on the ground.
The severity of the beating forced the boy to attempt to vomit the food in his mouth.
He was screaming while being beaten. At one point, the child was throttled. His eyes were rolling back.
However, bdnews24.com could not confirm what ultimately happened to the child.
Residents of the Rohingya camp, upon watching the video, said such videos are sent to the families of the children who have been taken from the camp.
Based on the video, it can be inferred that these incidents likely took place in a hilly area.
After speaking with several camp leaders (Majhi) and organisation workers from several Rohingya refugee camps, the authenticity of such videos was confirmed.
However, the APBn, responsible for security at the camps, claims that no such complaints or videos have come to their attention.
Additional Deputy Inspector General Md Siraj Amin, the commander of the 14th APBn, said: “Most of the time, Rohingya create such videos themselves to attract the attention of different international organisations.
"When such abductions occur, the Rohingya rarely come to us. They often settle these matters themselves.
“Instead of coming to police, they go to UNHCR, or they record videos and post them on social media."
Regarding abductions in the camps, the officer said: "Incidents like abductions occur here for many reasons. However, these are not abductions in the true sense. For example, many Rohingya engage in online gambling. When they lose and can't pay the money, they are held captive.
“Then, they call their families asking for money, but they don't disclose the reason for the captivity."
He added, “Another issue is that incidents related to drug trafficking and debt disputes are often reported as abductions."
Additional DIG Siraj said real abductions are rare, with some being carried out by terrorist groups when opportunities arise.
"However, we are quite sincere about the Rohingya, but due to the geographical location, it is not possible to prevent many crimes."
According to information provided by the district police, 62 abduction cases have been recorded in Teknaf in 2024.
The police rescue list includes 138 victims.
However, victims and local journalists claim the actual number of abductions is higher, with both locals and Rohingya involved.
Many victims reportedly paid ransom to secure the release of their loved ones.
Enayet, the leader of Camp 12 in Ukhiya's refugee settlement, said most of the incidents are related to gambling and drugs, and as a result, police sometimes neglect real abduction cases.
Additional Superintendent of Police Jasim Uddin from the district police said, "After each incident, whether an official complaint is filed or not, the police have taken action, and several offenders involved in abductions have been arrested.
“Efforts are ongoing to capture those who remain at large."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, is being contacted for their statement on the matter, and an email has been sent for their response.
UNHCR clarified that the responsibility for maintaining safety and security in the Rohingya refugee camps lies with the relevant Bangladeshi authorities.
In a statement, UNHCR spokesperson Shari Yasmin Nijman explained that the organisation, being a humanitarian entity, does not have the mandate or expertise to handle acute security situations or violence.
Instead, UNHCR advises refugees with specific security concerns to contact the appropriate authorities.
The agency offers protection case management services, including referrals for legal assistance, gender-based violence support, and child protection.
UNHCR also collaborates with humanitarian partners to advocate for peace and provide technical advice to the Bangladeshi authorities, it said.
[Writing in English by Sheikh Fariha Bristy]