“I May Be Killed Any Moment” 53 Another confidential intelligence memo by the Bangladesh authorities, dated 2022 with no month, reviewed by Fortify Rights further confirms the Bangladesh government’s awareness of ARSA’s abuses against Rohingya refugees in camp. The memo states: When any Rohingya protest against the ARSA activities complaint [sic] to the camp in charge of the police or inform intelligence agencies about the group, the ARSA issues death threats and, in some cases, kill them. … [O]ver 150 active extremists of ARSA are targeting volunteers or general Rohingya helping the Bangladeshi law enforcement and intelligence agencies.260 In October 2022, a senior officer of a police unit in Cox’s Bazar—who wished to remain anonymous— told the media that ARSA was responsible for the killings of majhis, saying: “These are targeted killings by ARSA. The internal clashes in Myanmar are impacting the security situation in the camps.”261 The next month, Farouk Ahmed, spokesperson for Bangladesh’s Armed Police Battalion (APBn)—a specialized police unit mandated to protect the refugee camps—told the media that ARSA was involved in the “murder, extortion, kidnapping, drug peddling, and human trafficking” of Rohingya refugees.262 That same month, Bangladesh police reportedly launched “Operation Root Out,” resulting in the arrest of more than 830 people for criminal and militant activity in or surrounding the refugee camps.263 Around this same time, Bangladesh authorities appear to also have cooperated with the Myanmar military junta in countering ARSA. A 45-page internal document from the Myanmar junta’s Central Anti-Terrorism Department obtained by Fortify Rights states: The ARSA terrorist group were positioned along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border during the year 2022 and there were fights with the [Myanmar] security forces four times in northern Rakhine State. Myanmar in coordination with BGB [Border Guard Bangladesh] and Bangladesh special forces conducted a clearance operation in the refugee camps where [ARSA] were hiding in early December 2022.264 More recently, just months before the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following the student-led protests and crackdown by Bangladesh security forces, spokesperson Arafat Islam of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) stated in a press conference: “We conducted several operations and arrested 110 ARSA members and recovered a huge amount of explosives and weapons from their possessions.”265 Violations Against Rohingya Refugees by Bangladesh Authorities In addition to confirming the existence of ARSA and their problematic activities in Bangladesh, the confidential memo from the Bangladesh Army dated February 15, 2022, and obtained by Fortify Rights also mentions friction between APBn and the Army, citing “unprofessional behavior” by APBn in “carrying out their duties” in the camps.266 Although the memo fails to provide further details to clarify APBn’s “unprofessional behavior,” Fortify Rights has documented beatings, 260 Ibid. 261 “Two Rohingya Camp Leaders Killed in Bangladesh,” Al Jazeera, October 16, 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/ news/2022/10/16/two-rohingya-camp-leaders-killed-in-bangladesh. 262 Tanbirul Miraj Ripon, “Targeted Killings Spread Terror in Rohingya Refugee Camps,” The Diplomat, November 15, 2022. https://thediplomat.com/2022/11/targeted-killings-spread-terror-in-rohingya-refugee-camps/. 263 Ibid; “Bangladesh Police Arrest ‘Most Wanted’ ARSA Member at Rohingya Camp,” Benar News. 264 Internal document issued by the Myanmar junta’s Central Anti-Terrorism Department on file with Fortify Rights. See also, “Myanmar Bangladesh Joint Offensive Cracks Down on Rohingya,” Southeast Asia Globe, February 16, 2023, https://southeastasiaglobe.com/leaked-papers-reveal-joint-myanmar-bangladesh-offensive-against-rohingya/. 265 “RAB Drives Against ARSA ‘Criminals’ Continue,” UNB, May 17, 2024, https://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/rabdrives-against-arsa-criminals-continue/135755. 266 Confidential Bangladesh Army memo, February 15, 2022, on file Fortify Rights.