The Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy, in a joint operation, have rescued 38 individuals, including women and children, who were being held captive in the remote hills of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar with the intent of being trafficked to Malaysia and other southern countries via the sea.
Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, media officer of the Coast Guard, confirmed the rescue on Friday stating that based on intelligence reports about human trafficking activities in the area, the rescue operation took place early hours of the day.
The two forces conducted the drive near the Kacchapia Government Primary School in Baharchhara union of Teknaf, and rescued 18 women, 12 men, and 8 children and apprehended two alleged human traffickers.
He said that the victims were held hostage for ransom and were subjected to torture by the traffickers, who were planning to smuggle them across the sea for forced labour and exploitation.
The rescue effort is part of an ongoing crackdown on human trafficking in the region. In the days leading up to this operation, the Coast Guard had previously rescued 21 women and children from Karachi Para, another area in Baharchhara, on 2 October. Additionally, on 1 October, the Coast Guard freed eight women and children from the Jummapara Hill area.
Earlier operations also led to the arrest of traffickers and the rescue of several victims, including a significant operation on 29 September, where three traffickers were apprehended, and five victims were freed.
On 23 September, five hostages were rescued, and two traffickers were arrested near Kacchapia. A day earlier, joint operations by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) led to the arrest of three traffickers and the rescue of 84 individuals.
Lt Commander Siam-ul-Haq said Coast Guard has pledged to continue its operations to prevent human trafficking and other illegal activities in the region, ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
