Police have detained 135 Rohingya men, women and children, who fled from various refugee camps of Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar, from Sonadia Island of Maheshkhali.
They were promised passage to Malaysia by the sea on a trawler, but the human traffickers left them at Sonadia yesterday and fled, our Cox's Bazar staff correspondent reports quoting Rafikul Islam, additional superintendent of Cox's Bazar police.
Locals informed police after they saw the trawler dropping the refugees off and leaving. Police conducted a drive on the island around 5pm yesterday and detained the refugees, including 51 women and 15 children, the ASP added.
Many among the arrestees said that they boarded the trawler around a week ago after the trafficking gang promised to take them to Malaysia.
The arrestees will be taken to refugee camps after collaborating with the concerned authorities. Police are working to identify the trafficking gang, the ASP added.
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