Bangladesh Navy rescues 65 Malaysia-bound victims, detains 11 suspected traffickers

The Bangladesh Navy has rescued 65 people from a wooden boat allegedly being used to transport them illegally to Malaysia and detained 11 suspected human traffickers.

The rescue was carried out on Wednesday night during a routine patrol in the Saint Martin’s area, according to a release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday.

BNS Khalid Bin Walid intercepted the boat after fishing vessel FV Crystal-1 spotted it drifting about 81 nautical miles from the Saint Martin’s Lighthouse.

The fishing vessel approached after noticing that the wooden boat’s engine had failed. Its crew later alerted the Navy after becoming suspicious of the people on board.

Navy personnel reached the scene and rescued all 76 people. As water was entering the boat, they removed the water to prevent it from sinking and provided those on board with first aid, food and other humanitarian assistance.

During preliminary questioning, 11 people were identified as members of a suspected human trafficking ring and detained. The other 65 were identified as victims who had allegedly been lured with promises of passage to Malaysia.

The ISPR said most of the victims had allegedly been abducted by the trafficking ring and held captive in remote areas of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, before being taken to sea for the journey to Malaysia.

The detained suspects and the seized boat are being handed over to Teknaf Police Station for further legal action, the ISPR said.

The Navy continues regular patrols and operations to secure Bangladesh’s maritime boundaries and prevent human trafficking, smuggling and other illegal activities at sea.