Bangladeshi authorities have arrested Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi, the leader of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) operating in Rakhine State, along with nine other members on March 16. The suspects are being investigated for illegal border crossing and criminal activities, according to Bangladeshi media reports. The authorities have obtained a 10-day remand to conduct their investigation into the arrested individuals.
Among those arrested are Mostak Ahmed, age 66, Salimullah, age 27, Asmatullah, age 24, Md Hasan, age 43, and Moniruzzaman, age 26. According to the investigation report from Bangladeshi authorities, the suspects had been holding secret meetings to plan serious criminal activities. The authorities have accused ARSA of involvement in various criminal activities including murder, human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and actively opposing the repatriation process of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
ARSA’s violent activities reportedly intensified after the assassination of Rohingya rights activist Mohib Ullah on September 29, 2022. Mohib Ullah had been a prominent supporter of Rohingya repatriation efforts. While his family members accused ARSA of being behind his murder, ARSA leader Ataullah denied any involvement in the killing. Additionally, Ataullah and 64 others were named as suspects in the November 2022 killing of Rizwan Rushdee, a Bangladeshi military intelligence officer from the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
The Bangladeshi authorities’ report indicates that the arrested individuals were involved in organizing clandestine meetings to plan serious criminal activities. ARSA has been accused of systematically undermining efforts to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar while engaging in various criminal enterprises. The arrest of these individuals represents a significant development in the ongoing efforts to address security concerns in the border region and within the refugee camps where ARSA has been known to operate.
