Muslim refugees in Bangladesh abducted and sold to junta as conscripts: report

By Admin 29 Jul 2024

DMG Newsroom
July 29, 2024

Muslim armed groups abduct Muslim refugees from refugee camps in Bangladesh and sell them as conscripts to Myanmar’s military regime, Fortify Rights said in a July 26 report.

The abduction and forced conscription of Muslims amount to human trafficking, according to Fortify Rights.

“Rohingya [Muslim] survivors of the ongoing genocide committed by the Myanmar military are now being forced to join the ranks of the very actors responsible for committing atrocities against them,” said Ejaz Min Khant, Human Rights Associate at Fortify Rights. “The abduction and forced conscription of Rohingya may amount to human trafficking and should be urgently addressed.”

Muslim refugees abducted from Bangladesh refugee camps were forced to join junta battalions in Maungdaw Township, where they underwent military training before being sent to the frontline.

A 17-year-old Muslim teenager who was abducted on March 1 said: “Seven people came and pointed a gun at me, blindfolded and tied my arms and legs with a rope, then abducted me from there. Later, I was taken to Myanmar.”

According to Fortify Rights, 1,700 Muslim refugees were abducted by Muslim armed groups from March to May and sold as conscripts to the regime.

Fortify Rights has called for an end to forcible conscription in Arakan State and elsewhere in Myanmar.

“The Bangladesh authorities need to protect Rohingya refugees from forced conscription in the camps where they are supposed to be safe,” said Ejaz Min Khant.