Myanmar's terrorist organization Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) has six torture cells in the Rohingya camps.
Sitting in Myanmar, these torture cells are controlled by the top leader of the organization, Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi.
Prisoners face regular torture in these facilities, and various criminal activities are conducted.
The information came to light when Md Osman Prakash Salman Murobbi, 50, the head of Arsa's Ulama Body and Torture Cell, was arrested on Thursday night.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officials are actively searching for these torture cells, as confirmed by RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Khandaker Al Moin in a press briefing at RAB-15 Cox's Bazar office on Friday afternoon.
During a raid, RAB discovered one of the secret torture cells operated by Arsa in the hills adjacent to Madhurchara Jame Mosque in Ward No 6 of Rajapalang union, Ukhiya.
RAB arrested of two Arsa’s commanders from the torture cell. They are - Md Osman Prakash Salman Murobbi, 50, the head of Arsa's Ulama Body and Torture Cell, and Md Yunus, 24, a member of the torture cell.
According to Khandaker Al Moin, Md Osman illegally entered Bangladesh with his family in 2017 and settled in Block-D of Refugee Camp-13 in Thaingkhali, Ukhiya.
In 2018, he joined Arsa after meeting with Mostaq Ahmad and Abu Raihan, members and commanders of Arsa's Ulama Council.
Osman received training in weapon handling from top leaders and gradually assumed a leadership role.
He was allegedly involved in the murder of a DGFI official during a joint anti-drug operation and was wanted by the authorities. Osman was also implicated in multiple murders in the vicinity of the Rohingya camp.
The Ulama body, led by Md Osman, encouraged new Arsa recruits to join them, plotted the assassination of various Arsa leaders, and engaged in terrorist activities, including murder, kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, and extortion within the refugee camps.
Rohingyas living in the camps were gripped by fear due to these crimes. Anyone who dared to complain against them faced abduction and murder, and their bodies were disposed of without a trace.
Under the command of Arsa head Ataullah, the organization established five to six torture cells inside and around the Rohingya camps by the end of 2019.
Abu Anas, Arsa's second-in-command, initially led the first torture cell.
Later, Moulvi Akij assumed leadership of the Ulama body, and upon his departure for Myanmar earlier this year, the arrested Md Osman took over as both the head of the Ulama body and the torture cell.
