25 rescued, two traffickers held in Teknaf operation

In a joint operation in the remote hills of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Bangladesh Navy rescued 25 Bangladeshi and Rohingya women and children and detained two human traffickers.

The operation was conducted on Tuesday, November 4, following intelligence reports, said Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haque.

Authorities learned that a group of people were being held captive in the deep hilly area near Jhummapara, Baharchhara, Teknaf, with the intention of being trafficked to Malaysia by sea.

A joint operation was carried out between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm on Monday, resulting in the rescue of 25 victims and the arrest of two traffickers.

Interrogation revealed that several organised trafficking rings had been luring Bangladeshi and Rohingya citizens with promises of high-paying jobs and better lives abroad, before detaining them and extorting ransom through torture.

The traffickers reportedly planned to smuggle them to Malaysia by boat from the Marine Drive coastal area when the opportunity arose.

Legal procedures regarding the rescued individuals and detained traffickers are currently underway.