Several missing as Rohingya boat capsizes during attempted entry to Bangladesh

Several Rohingya refugees are missing after a boat carrying them capsized during an attempt to enter Bangladesh via the Teknaf coast.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rescued 25 people after the vessel sank around 2:30am on Saturday off Shah Porir Dwip’s Paschim Para area, according to Lt Col Md Ashiqur Rahman, commander of Teknaf-2 BGB Battalion.

Abdul Mannan, a member of Ward 7 in Teknaf’s Subrang Union, said, “Local fishermen informed me that a boat carrying Rohingya refugees fleeing from Myanmar had sunk.”

Nurul Islam, a local resident, added, “A BGB member spotted the boat floating at sea during the night. He used a local fisherman’s boat to approach the vessel and signaled the Rohingya to stop.”

“Just then, strong waves hit, causing the boat to capsize. Hearing their screams, local fishermen and the BGB rushed in and managed to rescue 25 people, including women and children. The search for the missing is still ongoing,” he said.

Mohammad Amin, the owner of a boat in Shah Porir Dwip’s Majher Para, said: “A BGB member took my boat at midnight to intercept the Rohingya vessel. While bringing it to shore, the boat capsized due to rough seas, but around 25 people were rescued.”

Abdul Mannan, a guard at the Paschim Para jetty of Shah Porir Dwip, said: “BGB members spotted the Rohingya boat approaching the shore. They took a boat from the jetty to stop them.”

“I don’t know exactly how the vessel sank, but 25 Rohingya have been rescued. Fishermen are using multiple boats to continue the search,” he added.

Abdul Gafur, general secretary of the fishermen’s association at the Shah Porir Dwip Paschim Para jetty, said: “I heard that a Rohingya boat sank while attempting to enter Bangladesh.”

Local representatives, boat owners, residents, and jetty officials claimed that a BGB member also went missing during the incident.

However, neither BGB nor the administration has confirmed this.BGB Commander Ashiqur said, “So far, 25 Rohingya, including children, have been rescued after the boat capsized. The rescue operation is ongoing.”

Teknaf Upazila executive officer, or UNO, Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said, “I have heard about the Rohingya boat sinking. Our law-enforcing agencies are working on the matter.”