Bangladesh Navy personnel has intercepted a fishing trawler named FV Kulsumah carrying 214 displaced Rohingya nationals attempting to travel illegally to Malaysia via the Bay of Bengal.
The operation was conducted on Tuesday by the Navy vessel BNS Durjoy during a routine patrol in deep sea waters.
According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Navy identified the suspicious movement of the trawler approximately 44 nautical miles southwest of Saint Martin’s Island. They promptly approached the vessel and blocked its course.
A subsequent search of the boat revealed 214 individuals onboard, including 118 men, 68 women, and 28 children. All of them were identified as displaced citizens of Myanmar.
Initial interrogation revealed that the passengers were en route to Malaysia with the intention of illegal entry. The vessel had departed from the Shaplapur area under the Teknaf police station in Cox’s Bazar at around 2:00 a.m. on April 8.
The press release further stated that the fishing boat had embarked on the dangerous journey without the minimum safety requirements such as life-saving equipment, sufficient food, water, or protective measures. These deficiencies could have led to a major humanitarian disaster in the deep sea. However, the timely and effective action by the Bangladesh Navy averted the potential crisis.
The detained individuals, along with the intercepted vessel, have been handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard Station at Saint Martin’s Island for legal procedures.
The Bangladesh Navy reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s maritime boundaries and preventing criminal activities such as human trafficking, illegal migration, and smuggling through the sea routes.
