Teknaf Correspondent

Coastguards have rescued 50 people, including 11 Rohingya, from a boat off the coast of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar while they were allegedly being trafficked to Malaysia.

Nine others were detained for their alleged link to the incident in a raid at sea near Baharchhara Union on Friday, said Lt Cdr Md Muttakin Siddiqui of Bangladesh Coast Guard’s Teknaf Station.

Their names and identities could not be confirmed immediately.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, the Coast Guard official said a joint operation was conducted from 6pm to 12am on Friday by members of the Coast Guard ship Mansur Ali, Teknaf Station, Shah Porir Dwip Outpost and Baharchara.

When the boat was signalled to stop due to its suspicious movement, it tried to flee into the deep sea, said Muttakin.

The boat was later chased and seized, leading to the rescue and detentions, he added.

Citing the detainees, Muttakin said: “An organised human trafficking gang first brought the victims to Teknaf, promising them high-paying jobs and a better life abroad.

“They were then held in secret hideouts and tortured for ransom. There was a plan to traffic them by sea to countries like Malaysia.”

Legal action is under way against the rescued individuals and the suspects, the coastguards official said.