At least 18 people were rescued while 13 others remained missing after a boat carrying Rohingya people capsized near Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Friday morning.
The boat capsized around 8am near the Paschim Para ghat area of Shah Porir Dwip.
Local fishermen rescued the survivors and later handed them over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
According to local sources, the boat was carrying 31 Rohingya passengers when it sank.
Fishermen in the area launched a rescue operation and managed to save 18 people, but the remaining 13, including the boat’s crew, could not be traced.
Abdul Mannan, acting chairman of Sabrang Union Parishad, said the passengers were attempting to enter Bangladesh amid ongoing clashes between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army (AA).
“The boat sank near Shah Porir Dwip while they were trying to flee the conflict in Myanmar. Local fishermen later rescued 18 people and handed them over to the BGB,” he said.
Local fisherman Mohammad Ismail said, “A boat carrying 31 Rohingya sank on Friday morning. With support from local residents, we managed to rescue 18 people alive. However, 13 others are still missing.”
He said none of the rescued individuals were women or children.
Ismail claimed that some of those rescued had earlier gone to Myanmar to participate in fighting and were now attempting to return to Bangladesh due to the changing situation there.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said preliminary information suggested that some of the rescued individuals had previously lived in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh before going to Myanmar.
“They allegedly joined fighting against the Arakan Army and were now trying to re-enter Bangladesh. The matter is being investigated,” the official said.
Lieutenant Colonel Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan, commander of Teknaf-2 BGB, said 18 people had been rescued after the boat capsized in the Shah Porir Dwip area and were currently in BGB custody.
“The reason behind their attempt to enter Bangladesh is being verified. Further details will be disclosed after the investigation,” he added.
