A Bangladeshi businessman was shot and injured inside a Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, following a dispute over unpaid dues and prior enmity.
The victim, identified as 30-year-old Obaidul Haq, was targeted outside a mosque in the C-2 block of Camp 14 in Palongkhali on Friday afternoon. Obaidul, a resident of Chorkhola village in Palongkhali union and son of Abul Hossain, operates a business supplying everyday groceries and goods near the border region.
According to eyewitnesses and local residents, the violence erupted immediately after Friday afternoon prayers. Obaidul had been locked in a dispute with a Rohingya youth named Mohammad Yunus over outstanding store debts and past grievances. As Obaidul stepped out of the mosque, an argument broke out between the two men. Witnesses reported that Yunus claimed to be a camp commander for the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), an armed group operating in the area, and threatened the trader.
The confrontation escalated rapidly. On Yunus’s orders, a gang of 10 to 15 armed men arrived at the scene. One of the assailants drew a firearm and fired directly at Obaidul, striking him in his right ankle. As the wounded trader collapsed to the ground, the gunmen discharged several warning shots into the air to intimidate bystanders before fleeing into the adjacent forested hills.
Rescuers immediately rushed Obaidul to the nearby Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in the Kutupalong camp complex. However, as his condition deteriorated later in the evening, medical staff referred him to Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital, where he remains under treatment.
The victim’s family expressed outrage over the violent assault. Jahangir Alam, the elder brother of the victim, demanded swift police intervention, stating that his brother was shot without provocation right after leaving the place of worship. He urged law enforcement agencies to conduct an impartial investigation and apprehend the perpetrators without delay.
Local representatives voiced serious concerns over the deteriorating security situation surrounding the refugee settlements. M Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, Chairman of the Palongkhali Union Parishad, highlighted the alarming rise in illegal firearms inside the refugee camps. He stressed that law enforcement agencies must urgently initiate targeted drives to recover illicit weapons and protect local citizens.
Responding to the incident, Atiqur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya Police Station, confirmed that police forces quickly secured the area to restore order. Investigating officers are currently probing the precise motives behind the attack, whilst also examining why the Bangladeshi trader had entered the camp mosque for prayers. Police operations are currently underway to track down and arrest those responsible.
Security has been stepped up across Camp 14. Riaz Uddin Ahmed, acting commander of the 8th Armed Police Battalion (APBn), responsible for camp security, stated that additional patrols have been deployed and that the situation inside the camp remains calm and fully under control.
