In a devastating incident today, 40 Rohingya refugees drowned when their boat capsized near the Bangladesh border. Fleeing the escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, these refugees were desperately trying to reach safety.
The situation for Rohingyas has worsened significantly, with areas like Lal Dia now under the control of the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO). This has driven up the cost of escaping from Myanmar to Bangladesh, with smugglers demanding as much as 34,000 Bangladeshi Taka (about 400 USD) per person. In 2017, the cost was only 3,500 Taka, but now, even those who can afford the exorbitant fees are struggling to find a place on the overcrowded boats.
Today’s tragedy occurred when the boat’s driver, fearing detection by Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB), made a sharp turn that caused the vessel to capsize. Out of all the passengers, only seven survived, clinging to debris in the water until they were rescued.
Locals in Shah Porir Dwip report that arriving refugees are being looted by Bangladeshi villagers, while the BGB is preventing them from landing. Survivors say the current situation is far worse than the 2017 crisis, describing it as “hell.”
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