A pistol in hand, wearing black and white half sleeve t-shirt identifying himself as Mohammad Hashim, a Rohingya youth living in the shelter centre of Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar, confessed to killing four Rohingyas through a video message.

The youth said, he felt it was wrong to kill the people of his own community (Rohingyas) being influenced by other people and for sake of money. He also begged pardon to his own community in the video message confessing to his crime.

The video, which was published on Wednesday noon, stirred huge uproar.

People of the law enforcing agencies got activated and started to find out the young man.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Ukhiya police station, Sheikh Mohammad Ali, told Prothom Alo, "The video is perhaps captured at night. We are investigating the names that appeared in the video and looking for Hashim."

In the video, which was captured in Rohingya language, Hashim showed a pistol in his hand and started by saluting everyone. Then he said “my name is Mohammad Hashim, father is late Abdul Jabber, and I hail from Kuanchingmong Para of Burichong (at Rakhine state in Myanmar). I have been living in the camp 18, block east-3. My Majhi (camp leader) is Abdul Jabbar.”

Then Hashim said, 25 young Rohingyas were given 25 pistols at camp-18.

Those were provided by the leaders of Rohingya terrorist group Islami Mahas, Shahab Uddin, Rahmat Ullah, Head Majhi Bhuiyan, Moulovi Rafiq.

These four lead the organisation.

The video mail says, the job of Islami Mahas is to accomplish the killing mission. A hefty sum was given to 25 young Rohingyas to kill people. The main job of the young people was to kill the people who have been working for repatriation. On last five-six days they (young people) killed three Majhis (camp leaders) and a volunteer. Mohammad Hashim also named the camp leaders who were killed. They are Jafar, the head camp leader of camp number 18, Ismail of camp number 7,  Ershad and chief camp leader Azimullah of extended camp-4. Mohammad Hashim identified himself as member of Mahas.  

In the video, Hashim said their mission was much bigger but he realised his mistake. He wants to return to normal life leaving the dirty world.

At the end of the video message Hashim said, after killing four Majhis the Islami Mahas leader stopped giving them money. They started to think about their profit. Hashim said, he realised they were killing their own brethren, annihilating the clan.  By realising it is a mistake, he came through the video seeking pardon. He sought pardon to all mothers and sisters.

By analysing the video it is seen, the video was captured at night at a home in the camp. Bamboo fences are seen behind the young man. Hashim seemed like an educated person and he was reading a script. Someone else captured the video. Many believe the video is published premeditatedly.

As the video spread through different media including Facebook, fear gripped Rohingya camps. A Rohingya leader of camp-11 (Balukhali) seeking anonymity said, Mohammad Hashim is a familiar face. But he had been in a hideout for months. It is true the people who are named in the video are killed. But no one knew they were killed by this youth. Following the spread of the video, fear gripped Majhis and general people in the shelter camps. 

An officer of the law enforcing agency said, Islami Mahas has been active in the camp for few years. There are more than two thousand Madrasa and Maktab inside the camp. These religious organisations are conducted with the money sent from abroad. The teachers of these Madrasa are ambivalent about the sharing of money. One of the factions are in favour of Islami Mahas while the other is active under the banner of Olama Parishad. But Islami Mahas is conducted with the support of Myanmar’s terrorist group Arakan Salvation Army (Arsa). Olama Parishad works for the repatriation.

Rohingya leaders said Islami Mahas has been trying to make unrest by handing over arms to educated young men in the camp. During last four months at least 12 Rohingyas are killed in different camps by Rohingyas.

The officer in charge of the security of the camp, additional police super of eight armed police battalion (APBN) Faruk Ahmed said, “We came to know about the video message of a young Rohingya named Mohammad Hashim. We will take measures by identifying the people whose names were mentioned in the video. Apart from APBN, intelligence activities have been increased to resist terrorist acts and keeping peace and order in the shelter camp."