Police rescue 12 Rohingya refugees headed to Malaysia, four held

Police have rescued 12 Rohingya refugees from Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar during an attempt to traffic them to Malaysia by sea.

Four people have been arrested for their involvement in the trafficking effort.

Teknaf Police Station chief Muhammad Gias Uddin said the rescue operation took place in the tourist market area of Lambari in Teknaf Sadar Union early on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.

The rescued Rohingya include three women and nine teenage girls. They used to live at various camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf.

The suspects apprehended for their role in the trafficking are Nurul Amin, 25, and Nurul Afsar, 19, from Teknaf Sadar union’s Dakshin Lambari; Minhaj Uddin, 20, from Hnila union’s Jadimura; and Md Al Amin, 24, from Hatia Upazila’s Jahajmara in Noakhali.

OC Gias said police acted on information about a group gathering several people in a betel nut garden in the tourism market area on Monday to smuggle them to Malaysia by sea. The four were nabbed and 12 others were rescued in a raid conducted there afterwards.

A case has been filed at the police station against those arrested, and steps are under way to hand over the rescued Rohingya to the camp management authorities, he said.