33 Malaysia-bound people rescued from sea

A handout released on 7 November, 2018 by the Bangladesh Coast Guard shows Coast Guard members with Rohingyas and alleged traffickers in Teknaf coast guard station in Bangladesh. Photo: AFP
A handout released on 7 November, 2018 by the Bangladesh Coast Guard shows Coast Guard members with Rohingyas and alleged traffickers in Teknaf coast guard station in Bangladesh. Photo: AFP

Members of Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued 33 people including 29 Rohingyas from a trawler in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday night, reports UNB.

Acting on a tip-off, a coast guard team intercepted a Malaysia-bound trawler in the sea and rescued the 33 people around 8:30pm, said lieutenant Foyejul Islam Mandal, commanding officer of coast guard Teknaf station.

Among those, four were Bangladeshi nationals hailing from Tangail district while the Rohingya refugees were from different camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas, he said.

The coast guard members also arrested six human traffickers from the same trawler, he added.

The traffickers are Abdus Shukkur, son of Mozaher Mia, his brother Abdul Gafur, Rafiqul Alam, son of Hossain, Saikat, son of Sharif, Nasir Uddin, son of Abdul Hakim Sonamia and Jewel, son of Dabirul Islam.

They were handed over to Teknaf police station, the coast guard official said.