by Hafizur Rahman
Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar | July 31, 2026
At least 18 Rohingya men were rescued and 13 people remained missing after a boat carrying 31 people capsized near Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf on Friday morning, according to local fishermen and Bangladeshi authorities.
The boat reportedly sank near the Pashchim Para landing area of Shah Porir Dwip. Local fishermen rescued 18 men from the water and handed them over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The survivors were later transferred to Teknaf Model Police Station.
Lt. Col. Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan, commanding officer of BGB Battalion 2 in Teknaf, confirmed that 18 Rohingya had been rescued. He said authorities were investigating how they entered Bangladesh and would provide further information after completing preliminary inquiries.
Local fishermen said the boat had been carrying 31 people. Thirteen people, including the boatman, were reportedly still missing. However, police said they had not yet independently confirmed the number of missing people.
Abdul Mannan, acting chairman of Sabrang Union Parishad, said the passengers were believed to have crossed from Myanmar while attempting to escape the continuing fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.
A fisherman involved in the rescue said all 18 survivors were men. No women or children were among those brought ashore.
Some local sources offered a different account, claiming that the rescued men had previously left the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, crossed into Myanmar and were attempting to return because of renewed fighting. Bangladeshi authorities had not confirmed that account at the time of publication.
Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Saiful Islam said the rescued men remained in police custody while authorities investigated the incident. He added that police had not yet verified the claims concerning their previous movements or established the full circumstances of the reported capsize.
The identities and present condition of the missing people were not immediately known. No official information was available on whether a formal search-and-rescue operation had been launched.
The incident comes amid continuing conflict and severe movement restrictions in Rakhine State, where Rohingya civilians face growing risks while attempting to reach safety. It also highlights the danger of sea crossings along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border, where overloaded or poorly equipped boats frequently operate without adequate safety measures.
