Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh — The Bangladesh Coast Guard has rescued nine people, including Rohingya refugees, after a Malaysia-bound passenger trawler sank in rough weather near the Andaman Sea. The rescued group includes six Bangladeshi nationals and three Rohingyas. Authorities have since handed them over to Teknaf Model Police Station, and they were later sent to court and remanded to jail under legal procedures.
According to the survivors, they were taken on April 4 from different points in Cox’s Bazar, including Inani, Noakhali in Teknaf, and Rajarchhara, and transferred by small boats to a larger trawler. The vessel, reportedly carrying around 250 passengers at the time of departure, was headed for Malaysia.
Several survivors stated that the number of passengers later rose to around 280, including women and children. After eight days at sea, the trawler encountered severe weather near the Andaman Islands and eventually sank on April 9.
Rafiqul Islam, a Rohingya resident of Kutupalong camp in Ukhia, said he had been lured with promises of work before being taken to Teknaf and held in a hilly area in Rajarchhara along with dozens of others. He described being transferred to a cargo vessel late at night, where he saw hundreds of passengers in overcrowded conditions.
He said that tensions developed during the journey between passengers and the crew. At one point, passengers were reportedly confined in the vessel’s ice storage area. Shortly afterward, the trawler sank. Rafiqul Islam and a small number of others managed to survive by clinging to floating objects such as water bottles and oil containers for two days before being rescued on April 11 by a passing Bangladeshi vessel.
He added that he did not know the fate of the remaining passengers.
Another survivor, Md. Imran, also from Kutupalong camp, said he had attempted the journey to escape conditions in the camp. He described the struggle to survive in the open sea and said he continues to suffer from the physical and emotional impact of the घटना.
Family members of the rescued individuals also described how victims were deceived. Shamsur Alam, the father of Sohan Uddin from Hoaikyung in Teknaf, said his son had been taken from home by an acquaintance and later sold to traffickers. He found his son in a severely ill condition after being informed by police.
According to officials, the rescued individuals were first picked up by the Bangladeshi-flagged vessel MT Meghna Pride, which was en route from Chittagong to Indonesia. They were later transferred to a Coast Guard patrol ship and brought ashore.
The Coast Guard has filed a case under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act with Teknaf Model Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam confirmed that legal action has been initiated against those suspected of trafficking, while the rescued individuals have been processed through the court system.
Authorities say the incident highlights ongoing risks faced by people attempting irregular sea journeys in search of work or better living conditions. Concerns remain over the fate of the many passengers who are still unaccounted for following the sinking.
The rescued individuals have been identified as Md. Imran, Rahela Begum, Hridoy, Sohan Uddin, Md. Akbar, Rafiqul Islam, Tofail, Sayad Alam, and Md. Hamid.
