Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard have rescued 21 people, including women and children, from a remote hill area in Baharchhara, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.
They were being held captive with the intention of being trafficked to Malaysia.
The rescue operation was carried out early Thursday, confirmed Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul Haq, media officer of the Coast Guard.
He said, “Based on intelligence reports, it was revealed that several women, children, and young people were being detained at a hideout near the Karachipara ghat in Baharchhara, with plans to smuggle them by sea to Malaysia.
Acting on this information, a joint team of the Coast Guard and Navy conducted an operation at around 11pm on Wednesday and rescued the 21 individuals.”
Upon noticing the joint forces’ presence, the traffickers fled the scene, and none of them were arrested. However, the Navy and Coast Guard have continued their intelligence surveillance to identify and apprehend the traffickers, said Siam-ul Haq.
He also added that the Bangladesh Coast Guard remains active in preventing human trafficking and such operations will continue in the future.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the police rescued seven women and one child from a hideout in the same hill area.
On September 23, five young men were rescued during a special operation in the remote hill area of Kachhapia in Baharchhara Union.
On September 18, the Coast Guard and Navy had rescued 66 individuals, including 44 women and children, from the same hideout. Most of the rescued individuals were Rohingya, with the remainder being Bangladeshis.
