Kidnaping of Rohingya children on the rise in refugee camps
26 July 2026
The Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN) is deeply alarmed by the continuing abduction of Rohingya adults and children by criminal gangs in the refugee camps of Coxβs Bazar, Bangladesh. Vulnerable refugees are being kidnapped and their already impoverished families are being forced to pay enormous ransoms for their release.
RCN has also obtained a deeply distressing video showing a very young kidnapped child being subjected to cruel treatment and forced to plead with his parents to pay a ransom. The video is heartbreaking and demonstrates the brutality inflicted upon innocent children for financial gain. To protect the childβs dignity and identity, and because of the extremely disturbing nature of the footage, RCN will not publish or circulate it publicly. However, RCN is prepared to share relevant evidence confidentially with the appropriate Bangladeshi authorities and credible investigative bodies.
The kidnapping, abuse and killing of Rohingya adults and children must stop. Refugees who have already survived genocide, persecution and forced displacement should not have to live in constant fear of criminal gangs inside the camps where they have sought safety.
RCN urgently calls upon the Government of Bangladesh and the relevant security and law-enforcement authorities to:
1. Secure the immediate and safe release of all kidnapped Rohingya, including the child and adult reportedly being held at present.
2. Conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into every reported abduction, ransom demand, act of torture and killing.
3. Identify, arrest and prosecute the kidnappers, gang leaders and all individuals assisting or protecting these criminal networks.
4. Strengthen security throughout the camps without intimidating or collectively punishing innocent refugees.
5. Establish safe and confidential channels through which victims and families can report kidnappings without fear of retaliation.
6. Provide protection, medical treatment and psychological support to rescued victims and their families.
7. Ensure that children receive special protection from abduction, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence.
RCN also urges the United Nations, international humanitarian organisations and human rights bodies operating in Bangladesh to treat this crisis with the seriousness and urgency it demands. They must work closely with the Bangladeshi authorities and Rohingya community representatives to protect refugees, dismantle criminal networks and support affected families.
Every refugee has the right to live in safety and dignity. No parent should be forced to watch a kidnapped child suffer, and no family should have to choose between paying an impossible ransom and losing a loved one.
RCN stands in solidarity with the abducted victims and their families. We call for immediate action before more innocent lives are harmed or lost.
Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN)
Norway
The Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN) is deeply alarmed by the continuing abduction of Rohingya adults and children by criminal gangs in the refugee camps of Coxβs Bazar, Bangladesh. Vulnerable refugees are being kidnapped and their already impoverished families are being forced to pay enormous ransoms for their release.
RCN has also obtained a deeply distressing video showing a very young kidnapped child being subjected to cruel treatment and forced to plead with his parents to pay a ransom. The video is heartbreaking and demonstrates the brutality inflicted upon innocent children for financial gain. To protect the childβs dignity and identity, and because of the extremely disturbing nature of the footage, RCN will not publish or circulate it publicly. However, RCN is prepared to share relevant evidence confidentially with the appropriate Bangladeshi authorities and credible investigative bodies.
The kidnapping, abuse and killing of Rohingya adults and children must stop. Refugees who have already survived genocide, persecution and forced displacement should not have to live in constant fear of criminal gangs inside the camps where they have sought safety.
RCN urgently calls upon the Government of Bangladesh and the relevant security and law-enforcement authorities to:
1. Secure the immediate and safe release of all kidnapped Rohingya, including the child and adult reportedly being held at present.
2. Conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into every reported abduction, ransom demand, act of torture and killing.
3. Identify, arrest and prosecute the kidnappers, gang leaders and all individuals assisting or protecting these criminal networks.
4. Strengthen security throughout the camps without intimidating or collectively punishing innocent refugees.
5. Establish safe and confidential channels through which victims and families can report kidnappings without fear of retaliation.
6. Provide protection, medical treatment and psychological support to rescued victims and their families.
7. Ensure that children receive special protection from abduction, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence.
RCN also urges the United Nations, international humanitarian organisations and human rights bodies operating in Bangladesh to treat this crisis with the seriousness and urgency it demands. They must work closely with the Bangladeshi authorities and Rohingya community representatives to protect refugees, dismantle criminal networks and support affected families.
Every refugee has the right to live in safety and dignity. No parent should be forced to watch a kidnapped child suffer, and no family should have to choose between paying an impossible ransom and losing a loved one.
RCN stands in solidarity with the abducted victims and their families. We call for immediate action before more innocent lives are harmed or lost.
Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN)
Norway
Give death penalty to kidnapper