Hill Voice, 20 May 2025, Special Reporter: Recently, 30 Mro children converted to Islam have been found out housing in the Iqra Tahsinul Quran Madrasa located at Idgaon area of Cox’s Bazar district. It is learnt that while taking the advantage of poverty, one fundamentalist and religion trading racket is alleged of collecting the children from various localities including Alikadam, Thanchi and Lama of Bandarban Hill district and has kept them there almost under imprisonment after getting them converted to Islam. It is also learnt that the children are imparted education from infant classes to class-V in the Iqra Tahsinul Quran Madrasa.

The Mro children have been cramped in a room at level-3 of the Madrasa building, which is under construction. Many of the children do not know or cannot memorize the names of their own villages. Also, it is not known as to whether their parents are aware of converting their children to Islam in the name of providing education. These children are also being used in different other work including various clinics.

It is learnt that Dr. Mohammad Yusuf Ali is instrumental behind the drives of getting the Mro children converted to Islam and housing them in the said Madrasa. It is said that Dr. Mohammad Yusuf Ali is one of many who are playing their crafty and well-groomed role, especially, in alluring the poor indigenous children belonging to Mro, Chakma and Tripura communities of Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban to education and financial facilities and taking them to Madrasa and converting to Islam.

This fresh information came to limelight when one Mro student paid a visit to the Madrasa in person on 12 May 2025. Furthermore, he informed that Dr. Mohammad Yusuf Ali’s 6 storied Hospital is being constructed at DC Road Jalalabad of Cox’s Bazar. The Iqra Tahsinul Quran Madrasa is located at a close distance to the Hospital.

The source states: “I got a snap shot before entering to the residential hall. Above the Gate, there is a sign board having written: Iqra Tahsinul Quran Madrasa. The residential building is of 3 or 4 storied structure and somehow made for the time being. All the Mro children stay at 3rd floor. The building is fragile. As I got to the 3rd floor, I happened to see many Mro children. I employed my best effort to establish a rapport almost with all. I set myself on a drive to know their names, addresses and the classes they study in. Most of them could not tell me exactly. Some children were hauling bricks from the down floors.”

The identity of the children so far gathered by the source, are: (1) Langrung Mro who reads in Class-V. His is the Manrua village of Thanchi; (2) Mangcri Mro; he reads in Class-IV and he is from Aungpung Para of Thanchi; (3) Rengnong Mro, he also reds in Class-IV and he is from Sakkhoy village of Bolibazar, Thanchi. The source says that the others could not say their names and the names of their villages accurately. Some of them could somehow pronounce the name Alikadam, their Upazilla (Sub-district). Some others were in asleep for being tired of fatigue.

The source informs that the Tripura children were more in number but now the Mro children constitute the majority.

The source continued: “I tried to know about their studies and routine. One of them informed that they are to wake up at early during the Azaan at dawn and they have to attend to Namaz (prayer) regularly, which is bothersome to them – he added.

On 16 May 2025, one Reng Hi Mro wrote in his Facebook page: ‘Many may feel discomfort of me or I may be sued, if I speak the truth about the innocent Mro children who are prey to the religious aggression. Please have a careful look at the photographs; see how poor and unhealthy the management of their living is.

Further he wrote: ‘In 2023-2024, an initiative was undertaken to rescue altogether 14 innocent Mro children from Idgaon Madrasa of Cox’s Bazar and also I could rescue them. After rescue, they were sent to various Buddhist Asrams in Khagrachari and they are now in two Buddhist Ashrams (desired to be in anonymity) and studying there.

He further stated: ‘My team and I had to face harassment of various forms while rescuing. A lot of money had to be spent. As though our rescue mission was successful by dint of highest effort discharged by all members of my team, a series of pressures came upon me. Various ill propagation was spread against me and for that it has now become an uncertainty to my security of life. Even being so, I have kept my mission alive – for my community sake and keeping my life at stake.

The last event in September 2024, throughout the month-long drive, our team has been successful in rescuing altogether 9 innocent children who were bound to get converted to Islam.