By KPN
November 05, 2013 

Ukhiya, Bangladesh: Local gangsters have been collecting tolls from unregistered Rohingya refugee while the refugee went to collect firewood from the forest since November 1, said Kala Meah from the Kutupalong refugee camp. 

The refugee from Kutupalong unregistered makeshift camp always go to the forest nearby camp to collect firewood for their survival as they are not getting foods or support for not recognizing by Bangladesh government and UNHCR, Meah said.

The refugee sale the firewood in the local market near the camp and arranged for their family survival, but some local gangsters near the camp become greedy on the business of refugee firewood and started to collect tolls from refugee, said Abul Hussein, an elder from the camp.

At first the gangsters collected per head 10-50 taka depend on their collecting. Later, the gangsters hijacking refugee and demand hug amount of money as; 1000-5000 taka. The refugee complain to the concerned authority – camp officer – then the gangsters were
Drove off from the area. Now, again the gangsters are starting again to collect toll from refugee, Abul Hussein said.

The gangsters collected from 1500 to 3000taka per refugee while 30 refugee went to the forest to collect firewood yesterday. Some of the refugee who gave 1500 taka per head are;- Abu Musa; Hamid; Saber and the gangsters are:- Farid and Shajan and Ali hailed from Fayazee para of Kutupalong, said an religious leader from the camp.

The gangsters are backing by some political leader and now the Bangladesh political situation become unrest and these kind of group started to harass the refugee. The refugee are not able to go outside the camp and most of refugee are going to forest to collect firewood while the country become under shutdown by political party, the religious leader said.

Since political unrest in Bangladesh, Rohingya unregistered refugee become to survive hardship as they are not able to go for jobs – rickshaw pulling, day labor, fishing and others. The refugee camp become shortage of foods and become starvation, said a school teacher from the camp.