30 Rohingyas held on way to Malaysia

Bangladesh Coast Guard on Tuesday detained 30 Rohingyas, including women and children, while they were trying to go to Malaysia across the Bay of Bengal.

The Rohingyas were apprehended in Teknaf upazila's Baharchhara Union  boro dayel sea beach area.

The detainees are Zainub, Md. Salman, Ismat Ara, Nur Kalima, Hasina, Raseda, Achma, Chhonwara, Rabeya, Ramzana, Din Khayaz, Raiju, Nur Chadeka, Mosharrafa, Rafika, Nur Fatema, Rokia Begum, Taslima, Yasmin, Taslima, Md Hafsa, Arkan Bibi, Chomuda Khatun, Sumaira, Md. Jamir, Abul Foyez, Mostafa, Russell, Yunus, and Raihan. They all were from different refugee camps in Ukhia and Teknaf.

Coast Guard central office Media Officer, Lt. Commander BN Amirul Haque, confirmed the information and said they were trying to go Malaysia with the help of a broker, using sea routes. 30 Rohingyas including brokers have been detained near Teknaf beach.

He added that the trawler carrying the Rohingyas was attacked by robbers in the Bay of Bengal on its way to Malaysia. At that time, the robbers looted their belongings and destroyed the engine of the trawler. Legal preparations are underway in this regard.

Teknaf Baharchhara Union Parishad chairman, Maulana Aziz Uddin, said 30 Rohingyas and  their trawler were taken into custody from his area while trying to go to Malaysia by sea.

Nur Mohammad, an inspector at the Teknaf Baharchhara police investigation center, said a trawler with 30 Rohingyas heading for Malaysia had been detained and investigation is underway into whether they were infiltrating from Myanmar or not.

Last year, the Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued 400 Rohingyas from Jahajpura Ghat in Teknaf Baharchhara Union when they failed to go to Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar. After that, such attempts subsided for a while, but trying to flee to Malaysia has started again.