At least 264 people are missing and feared dead after a trawler carrying 273 passengers capsized in the Andaman Sea during a perilous illegal voyage to Malaysia.
The victims include Bangladeshi nationals from Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram, alongside Rohingya refugees from the Ukhiya camps. While nine individuals were rescued alive, authorities and relatives fear the remaining passengers have met a watery grave following a storm at sea.
Rescue operations, survivor accounts
The rescue was initiated after the Bangladeshi-flagged vessel MT Meghna Pride, which was travelling from Chattogram to Indonesia, spotted eight men and one woman floating in the deep sea near the Andaman Islands on the afternoon of 9 April.
Sabbir Alam Sujon, media officer of Bangladesh Coast Guard, said the survivors were handed over to the patrol vessel Mansur Ali and subsequently brought to Teknaf.
The rescued individuals have been identified as Md Hamid, Md Sayad Alam, and Md Akbar from Shanti Para, Cox’s Bazar; Md Sohan Uddin from Whykong, Teknaf; Md Hridoy from Mirsarai, Chattogram; Md Rafiqul Islam, Rahela Begum, and Md Imran from the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya; and Md Tofael Ahmed from Borbill, Teknaf.
Survivor Rahela Begum recounted that a cousin had lured her with the promise of marriage in Malaysia before the vessel was caught in a storm. She described the harrowing scene of seeing ten to twenty women amongst many others sinking into the sea.
Another survivor, Md Rafiqul Islam, who was brought to Teknaf with the promise of work, estimated the vessel carried approximately 280 passengers, including women and children. He noted that he and several others had been floating in the sea for two days before being rescued.
Following their arrival, Saiful Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Teknaf Model Police Station, confirmed that the nine survivors were questioned, provided medical treatment, and later sent to jail through the court.
The hunt for traffickers
The tragedy has triggered a wave of mourning across the region as families wait for news of the missing.
Mohammad Kalu, a resident of Whykong, is searching for his son, Enayetur Rahman, a day labourer at a local brick kiln who has been missing since 2 April. Kalu discovered that his son had fallen into the clutches of a trafficking ring.
Similarly, Ziaur Rahman reported that his two sons, Mohammad Junaid and Mohammad Tareq, are among the missing. Abdul Mannan, a member of the Sabrang Union Parishad representing Shah Porir Dwip, stated that at least 20 to 30 people from his area alone are reported missing.
In response to the incident, the Bangladesh Coast Guard has filed a case at Teknaf Police Station against six brokers.
Relatives and survivors have publicly named several alleged traffickers, including Shaker Majhi, Haidar Ali, Abdul Amin, Syed Ullah, Md Ibrahim, Azizul Haq, Mahmudul Haq, Shafiq, Mohammad Ullah, Mozaher Mia (alias Gora Mia), and Sayad Alam, many of whom have reportedly gone into hiding.
While some individuals attempt the journey voluntarily, others are victims of kidnapping and hostage-taking. Local residents expressed frustration that traffickers have become emboldened by administrative inaction, leading to frequent tragedies in the pursuit of a better life abroad.
