Refugee robbed by local goons

Teknaf, Bangladesh: A refugee from Nayapara camp was robbed by local goons on September 10, while he was returning to his shed after marketing from Teknaf, said a close friend of the victim who denied to be named.


“The victim was identified as Yusuf, MRC No. 55379, and Block-B/1033/1 of Nayapara camp.”

“Yusuf accompanied by his son-in-law Sayed Huassain of Block-E, went to Teknaf for marketing and to collect 60,000 Taka which was sent from KSA by his father.”

After collecting the money, Yusuf made some marketing from Teknaf, and returned to their camp by a taxi, when they got down from the taxi at the brick field gate near the southeast side of the camp at about 8:00pm. At the movement, Helal Uddin from Mousoni led a group of local goons numbering 12 attacked them with dagger point and snatched away Taka 55,000 and one mobile.

When the victims made hue and cry, some of the refugees and local near feild rushed to the spot, but the refugees and local failed to catch the culprits as the culprits run away from the scene, said a refugee from the camp preferring not to be named.

“The victims went to the concerned authority to lodge a case against the local goon leader Helal Uddin, after the incident where the authority told that they would see the matter seriously.”

Refugees are frequently robbed or looted by the local villagers or local goons when they try to enter camp from the rear gate. Local elders did not take interest when the refugees gave complaints against the local goons, said Yusuf, the victim.

“Refugees are not allowed to go out of the camp from front gate, so they use to exit/enter from the rear gate of the camp.”

“Taking this advantage, the local villagers or local goons rob or loot the refugees when they meet refugees at the gate.”

“Rohingyas are bad luck as they were robbed or looted by Burma’s authorities in Burma and they are also robbed or looted in Bangladesh by local goons,” said a refugee elder.