“I May Be Killed Any Moment”
Methodology
Between September 2021 and November 2024, Fortify Rights interviewed 116
individuals—including Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, Rohingya civilians in
Rakhine State, Rohingya militants, U.N. officials, humanitarian aid workers,
and others—about the ongoing violence by Rohingya-led armed militant groups
in Bangladesh. Fortify Rights interviewed former and current members of the
Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation
(RSO), and a former member of the Rohingya Patriotic Front.
Fortify Rights also analyzed two leaked Bangladesh government documents
from the now-deposed government of Sheikh Hasina, including one from the
Bangladesh Army, about militant activity in the refugee camps.
On February 16, 2025, Fortify Rights sent a letter requesting a meeting with
the office of Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh Professor
Muhammad Yunus. At the time of writing Fortify Rights has not received a reply.
Fortify Rights independently verified the group affiliations of perpetrators
involved in many of the incidents documented in this report, but not in every
instance, given the secrecy with which these groups operate and the challenges
for survivors and eyewitnesses in distinguishing between individuals operating
under ARSA, RSO, or other Rohingya militant groups. Militants often operate
in masks, without uniforms, and under the cover of darkness and frequently
without identifying their affiliations.
Fortify Rights conducted interviews with Rohingya people in the Rohingya
language and, at times, with English interpretation. Everyone interviewed for
this report provided free, prior, and informed consent to be interviewed and
for their testimony to be made public and shared. No one interviewed for this
report received compensation, and all were informed of the purpose of the
interview, its voluntary nature, and how the information might be used. In
some cases, Fortify Rights covered minimal travel costs to ensure interviewees
could participate in the interview process from secure locations.
For security reasons, Fortify Rights omitted or changed the names of all
eyewitnesses and survivors referenced in this report. To prevent potential
reprisals, Fortify Rights also omitted specific dates, locations of incidents, and
eyewitnesses’ relationships with the victims and survivors.
During the investigation, Fortify Rights referred several Rohingya refugees
to protection officers working with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
or other humanitarian organizations and facilitated ongoing protection
monitoring for Rohingya refugees facing significant security threats from
Rohingya militant groups.