BUTHIDAUNG, Arakan State — The Arakan Army (AA) has constructed a new market on farmland confiscated from Rohingya residents in Nan Ra Gone village of Buthidaung Township, according to local residents and sources familiar with the project.
Residents said the market, which is now nearing completion, was built on agricultural land that previously belonged to Rohingya families. According to local accounts, the land was seized without compensation to the original owners.
A resident told The Daily East that Rohingya residents seeking to obtain shop spaces in the market were required to make advance payments before construction began.
Sources said the AA collected 50 lakhs MMK (5 million Myanmar kyats) from each applicant as an advance payment for shop allocation. Several Rohingya residents have reportedly already paid the requested amount in the hope of securing commercial spaces in the market.
“The 50 lakhs MMK is not the price of a shop. It is an advance payment collected from Rohingya residents who want to acquire a shop in the market,” a local resident said.
According to local sources, the market is being developed on land formerly used by Rohingya families for farming and livelihood activities.
Residents further alleged that since taking control of several townships across Arakan State, the AA has confiscated numerous Rohingya-owned homes, farmlands, and other properties. Many displaced Rohingya families remain unable to return to their homes and lands due to ongoing insecurity and restrictions.
Local residents say the situation has increased concerns among Rohingya communities over property rights, displacement, and access to livelihoods in areas now under AA control
