Rohingya man claims in video ‘Islami Mahaz’ killed refugee leaders for supporting repatriation

The young refugee appears with a pistol in a video spread on Facebook

A young Rohingya man has claimed in a video shared on social media that an organisation called “Islami Mahaz” killed four leaders of refugee communities in Bangladesh for supporting repatriation to Myanmar.

The man, Md Hashim, 21, who appeared with a pistol in the video spread on Facebook, said he was a member of the organisation but left it after “realising it was a mistake”.

He said “Mahaz” trained 25 youths like him to use guns. The organisation carries out killings in exchange for huge sums of money, he said.

He named Zafar, Ismail, Ershad and Azimullah, all identified with a single name, as victims of the killing operation.

Hashim also named four leaders of “Mahaz”. They are Shahab Uddin, Rahmat Ullah, community leader Bhuiyan and Moulvi Rafique.

Faruk Ahmed, an additional superintendent of police at the Armed Police Battalion in-charge of the Rohingya camps’ security in Cox’s Bazar, said it initially appeared that the information given by Hashim were “false and they intended to hide the real killers”.

“But we are investigating his claims with importance,” he said, adding that Hashim has not been living in his home at camp No. 18 for several months.

He also said the law enforcers were investigating the people mentioned by Hashim. “Besides these, we are always alert to ensure security at the camps.”