37 Rohingyas Detained in Sandwip After Fleeing Bhasan Char by Sea

CHATTOGRAM, BANGLADESH — Joint forces have detained 37 Rohingya refugees along the coast of Sandwip in Chattogram after they attempted to flee the Bhasan Char shelter centre by sea.

According to law enforcement officials, members of the Bangladesh Navy and police conducted a late-night operation on Friday in the embankment area of Santoshpur Union after local residents reported the presence of a group of Rohingyas near Botgachhtala Ilishghat around 11:30pm.

The detainees include eight men, six women, and 23 children and teenagers. Authorities took them into custody and transferred them to the Santoshpur Union Parishad office, where they are currently being held under administrative supervision.

Police said that during preliminary questioning, the group claimed they had paid a broker Tk5,000 each to be transported from Bhasan Char to the Sitakunda coast. According to their accounts, they left the Bhasan Char camp earlier in the week and spent the first night in a temporary shelter before being placed on a small boat the following night.

The refugees alleged that the boat sank near the shore, forcing them to transfer to another vessel. That boat reportedly ran out of fuel while still at sea, leaving them drifting for nearly three days before they eventually reached the Sandwip coast.

Some members of the group also alleged that individuals linked to the broker network used weapons during the journey to extort cash, gold ornaments, and mobile phones from them.

Most of the detainees told authorities that they were trying to reach the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, where their relatives currently reside. One woman reportedly said she intended to travel onward to Rangpur for personal reasons.

Sandwip Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abu Zayed Md Nazmun Nur said the Rohingyas were rescued and placed in custody after being found in the coastal area.

“We rescued the Rohingya and took them into custody. We have heard that they fled from Bhasan Char,” the officer said, adding that they are being supported by the Upazila administration while further administrative procedures are underway.

Bangladesh began relocating Rohingya refugees to the Bhasan Char shelter centre in December 2020 as part of efforts to ease overcrowding in camps in Cox’s Bazar. Since then, thousands have been transferred to the island in phases.

However, attempts by some refugees to flee the island have periodically been reported, with several incidents in the past resulting in boats capsizing at sea.

Authorities said the detainees will be sent back to Bhasan Char following the completion of administrative procedures.