Arakan Army Fines Rohingya for Traveling Without Permits in Maungdaw Township

Arakan Now - June 15, 2025

Arakan Army is fining Rohingya in northern Maungdaw for traveling between villages without official permits, according to local residents.

Sources told Arakan Now that the fine is 50,000 kyats for anyone found traveling without a permit. They said the AA also stops people from continuing their journey if they cannot show a valid permit.

Checkpoints have been set up in Maungdaw’s villages like Thayetoke, Hla Poe Kaung and Tho O Hla. At these points, travelers must show permission slips issued by local administrators. Getting a travel permit costs 5,000 kyats.

Several recent cases were reported. On June 13, three men from Thayetoke were heading to Kyauk Lay Gar market when they were stopped, fined, and sent back home. On June 12, two men from Tho O Hla were detained for hours for the same reason.

Villagers from Tho O Hla, Ywet Nyo Taung, Myaw Taung, and Thayetoke depend on the Kyauk Lay Gar market for basic food. This is especially important now, as supplies have been cut off due to the ongoing conflict in Arakan State.

With prices rising and food becoming harder to find, some villagers have turned to smuggling goods through the Bangladesh border. But the new travel restrictions by the AA are making life even more difficult for many families.