Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-15 has rescued three Rohingyas during preparations to smuggle them to Malaysia by sea in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.
The operation was carried out on Sunday night in the Kachchhapia Boro Deil area of Baharchhara Union in Teknaf, based on secret information.
RAB said human trafficking syndicates have recently reactivated their operations along the sea route. Taking advantage of the situation, they lure Rohingya with false promises of overseas jobs and extort money from them.
Acting on this, a team from RAB-15 CPC-1 Teknaf Camp conducted a special drive in the area on Sunday night and rescued three Rohingyas who were being held for trafficking to Malaysia. The rescued individuals were later taken into RAB custody and kept at the Teknaf camp.
After necessary verification, they were handed over to Teknaf Model Police Station under a general diary, and the process is underway to return them to their families and respective camps.
Cox’s Bazar RAB-15 Commander Lt Col Kamrul Hasan said human traffickers are still looking for opportunities to smuggle Rohingya abroad by sea.
“They continue to instigate, lure and deceive people in attempts to traffic them illegally through the sea. We are conducting regular surveillance and operations to prevent such activities,” he said.
He added that RAB-15 is working with a zero-tolerance policy to stop such risky and illegal actions.
Earlier, on 4 November, the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy rescued 25 people, including women and children, who were being held for trafficking in a remote hilly area near Jumma Para in Baharchhara, Teknaf. Two human traffickers were arrested during that operation.
According to Teknaf Police, a total of 481 people have been rescued from hilly and coastal areas along the Teknaf border in the past two months by RAB, police, the Coast Guard, the Navy and BGB. During this period, 53 members of human trafficking syndicates were also arrested.
