25 Women and Children Rescued in Teknaf Hills, Two Human Traffickers Arrested

In a joint operation by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy, 25 people, including women and children, were rescued from the remote hilly areas of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. During the operation, two human traffickers were arrested.

On Tuesday (November 4), Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, the Coast Guard media officer, confirmed the information in a press release.

He stated that based on intelligence reports and interrogations of previously arrested traffickers, several people, including women and children, were being held in the deep hilly areas near Jumma Para in Baharchhara, Teknaf, with the intention of trafficking them to Malaysia.

Following this information, a joint operation was conducted by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy on Monday (November 3) from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. During the operation, 25 victims were rescued from the traffickers’ secret hideout, and two human traffickers were apprehended.

Initial questioning of the rescued individuals revealed that several organized trafficking groups were luring Bangladeshi and Rohingya citizens from Teknaf and other parts of the country with promises of better lives, high-paying jobs, and low-cost overseas travel. They also attempted to extort ransom from the captives through torture.

The Coast Guard stated that legal action is underway against the rescued victims’ traffickers and the arrested perpetrators. Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq said that the Bangladesh Coast Guard will continue such operations in the future to prevent human trafficking.

Khaborwala/TSN