In March 1942, the retreat of British forces triggered a wave of coordinated pogroms against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan. Over 300 villages were destroyed, killing tens of thousands of civilians and driving 80,000 into exile.
By RFF
Infographics|August 9, 2026
The 1942 Rohingya Massacre (Infographic | RRF)
Amid WWII troop movements and Japanese aerial bombings, armed militias carried out sweeping attacks on Muslim communities in Arakan. The events of 1942 resulted in mass casualties, destroyed hundreds of settlements, and established an ethno-religious divide that remains central to regional history today.
