DHAKA — The Bangladeshi authorities say three suspected Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) members have been arrested for allegedly setting fire to Rohingya camps near Cox’s Bazar.
A Rapid Action Battalion told the media in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday that ARSA “gun group” commander Usman and associates Mohammad Nesar and Imam Hossain were detained near the Ukhia Rohingya camp.
The RAB said it seized 22 homemade firearms, more than 100 rounds and four explosives.
RAB commander Lieutenant Colonel SM Sazzad Hossain told the press that Usman used to work as an informant for Myanmar’s military and joined ARSA in 2017.
He said Osman moved to the Balukhai camp with his family after a fire at the Konarpara near the border with Myanmar in 2022. The fire displaced over 4,500 Rohingya refugees.
The arrests followed frequent “identical” fires at the camps, the colonel said.
Rohingya researcher San Thai Shin said: “Most of the fires are the result of conflicts among Rohingya groups, including the ARSA and RSO [Rohingya Solidarity Organization]. The Rohingya should remain vigilant, even at night, fearing sabotage at the camps.
“Hardly any investigations are taking place to find the perpetrators or bring them to justice,” he told The Irrawaddy.
RAB said ARSA and RSO are fighting for control of the camps.
Ukhiya fire chief Shafiqul Islam said three fires were reported between December 31 and January 10, causing massive damage.
He said separate committees are investigating whether the fires were deliberate.
More than 1 million Rohingya took shelter in the camps after being forced out of Rakhine State by Myanmar’s military in August 2017.
On January 7, Camp 5 burned overnight for around three hours, leaving over 800 families without shelter.
The UN refugee agency Unicef said at least 1,500 children were not being educated after around 20 learning centers had been burned in Ukhia.
Four days later, another midnight fire burned approximately 50 shelters.
On March 5 last year, a fire affected around 16,000 members of around 3,011 families, causing significant damage to their camp infrastructure and displacing 5,000 people.
The authorities estimated the 155 community hubs, including learning centers, women- and child-friendly spaces, female-led community centers and mosques, were destroyed.
The Cox’s Bazar authorities concluded it was arson because of conflict among Rohingya groups and recommended a police investigation.
San Thai of Ukhia said the worst part about the fires was the suffering of families with no connection to any groups.
