Bangladesh Navy detains 214 Rohingyas from deep sea

The Navy has detained 241 Rohingyas from the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal. They also seized a fishing boat named 'FV Kulsuma'.

The detained boat and the displaced Rohingya nationals from Myanmar have been handed over to the Coast Guard’s Saint Martin station for legal action.

The Navy detained the Rohingyas during an operation by the naval ship BNS Durjoy on Tuesday (April 8). Initial questioning revealed that they were attempting to enter Malaysia illegally.

According to a press release from the Navy, BNS Durjoy detected suspicious movement of a fishing boat 44 nautical miles southwest of Saint Martin. The naval ship swiftly approached FV Kulsuma and intercepted it.

Upon searching the boat, the Navy discovered 214 Rohingya passengers on board, including 118 men, 68 women, and 28 children.

The boat had departed around 2.00am from Shaplapur in Teknaf, heading toward Malaysia. The Navy stated that further investigation is needed to determine whether the passengers boarded directly from Myanmar or from refugee camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf, Bangladesh.

The press release mentioned that FV Kulsuma set sail without basic life-saving equipment, sufficient food, water, or safety measures, which could have led to a humanitarian disaster at sea. The Navy’s timely and effective action prevented such a crisis.

The Navy also reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the country’s maritime borders, combating smuggling through sea routes, and preventing illegal immigration and criminal activities.