At least 150 members of 4 currency trafficking syndicates are involved in buying Kyat (Myanmar’s currency) from the Rohingya Refugees at the half rate of the Kyat’s price and trafficking to Myanmar through Hundi and yaba smuggling.
They are active in the Bangladesh Myanmar border since the Rohingya influx began. After taking Kyat from the Rohingyas who have crossed the border, the syndicate members take those collected kyat to the syndicate leaders. These four syndicates are lead by Ayub alias Baitta Ayub, Haider Ali, Ismail and Shamsul Islam Shamim of shahparirdip.
Police recently arrested some of the currency traffickers on charges of involvement in this work.
Since the Rakhine violence in Myanmar in late August, Rohingyas have started to influx Bangladesh with their saved Kyat and expensive items. But when they cross the border, some local currency smugglers exchange Kyat for Bangladeshi money at a titular price. Without caring the actual exchange rate (1 BDT is equal to 16 Kyat) these syndicate members are giving three to four thousand BDT in exchange of one lakh Kyat. Afraid Rohingya people are stumbling to take it. There are allegations that many people are cheating Rohingyas in the name of exchanging Kyat.
Shafiul Alam a private bank employee of Cox's Bazar said, ‘1 lakh Kyat is equal to 16 thousand BDT. No bank of Cox’s Bazar provides the service of exchanging Kyat and Bangladeshi Taka. Those people, who are buying Kyat from the Rohingya refugees, have basically ill motivations. Mafia syndicates can use this currency in smuggling arms, yaba through the Bangladesh Myanmar border.’
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Afruzul Hoque Tutul told, ‘"Many people have been involved with the Kyat business taking the advantage of Rohingyas' helplessness at the border. Recently, police arrested three members of the currency trafficking syndicate from Teknaf's Unchiprang border and sent them to jail. In the initial interrogation, they acknowledged that many people like them are involved in this work. Since then, the police have increased surveillance on the border area and continued the operation to stop this.'
However, while contacted through mobile phone, teknaf’s Ayub alias Baitta Ayub and Shamsul Alam Shamim of Shahporirdip were found unavailable.
