595 held while going to Malaysia illegally

Bangladesh Navy on Monday seized a trawler in the Bay, along with 595 people including women and children, near Saint Martin's Island in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar, while the boat people were going to Malaysia illegally.

Chittagong smuggling prevention naval division in-charge Commander Jasimur Zaman said a patrol boat BN Durjoy intercepted a trawler and detained the people in it while the people were heading towards Malaysia without valid papers at about 100 nautical miles off Teknaf coast in the Bay of Bengal around 2:00pm.

There were 20 women and children, and 14 crewmembers in the trawler.

Navy's Saint Martin's station in-charge Lieutenant Commander Mostafa Kamal said the detainees, including some Myanmar citizens, would be handed over to the Teknaf police.