Several Rohingya refugees told AFP that police abuse was “rampant”.
Ali Jakar, 20, said, “A few days back I was returning from a hospital to the camp with my brother’s medical report. APBN officials stopped me at the checkpoint, interrogated me and slapped me.”
Jecker said they stole the equivalent of $50 dollars from him.
“Then they took my mobile phone. They threatened to take action against me if I shared the story with anyone,” she said.
Sitara Bibi, 45, said police extortion was “a regular occurrence”.
“I owe them 3,000 taka ($30) during my son’s wedding. If we don’t pay them, the police will file a drug trafficking case against my son,” he said.
A Rohingya civilian leader told AFP on condition of anonymity that refugees were forced to travel between camps or pay police to enter the camps late at night.
He said, “If anyone opposes these abuses, he is arrested.”
