57 Rohingyas rescued, 2 'traffickers' detained off deep sea in Teknaf: RAB

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained two members of a human trafficking gang and rescued 58 Rohingyas from a trawler
UNB

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained two members of a human trafficking gang and rescued 57 Rohingyas and one Bangaldeshi from a trawler off the Bay of Bengal.

58 on board the trawler were being trafficked to Malaysia.

The elite force conducted a drive on early Friday and detained them off the deep sea of Shamlapur coast at Baharchara upazila in Teknaf.

The RAB-15 deputy-commander Mohammad Tanvir Hasan confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo. He said the two human trafficking gang members are Mohammad Sohel, 32, from Chandina in Cumilla and Musa Kalimullah, 42, from Kutubdia in Cox’s Bazar.

Among the rescued people, 24 are female, 11 children and 23 male. Of them, 57 are Rohingya, residents of camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf and one Bangladeshi. They are now under the custody of Teknaf police, the deputy-commander added.

Mohammad Tanvir claimed they carried out an operation based on a tip-off. The gang allured them to a better life and took Tk 10,000 from each persons to take them to Malaysia.