by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar, September 22, 2025: In a pre-dawn raid in the remote hills of Teknaf, a joint force of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rescued 80 Rohingya trafficking victims and arrested four Malaysian nationals accused of running a cross-border trafficking network.
According to officials, the victims, 76 Rohingya girls and four children, were being held in makeshift camps in inhumane conditions, awaiting illegal transit out of the country.
A Hidden Trafficking Hub
“This was a sophisticated and cruel operation hidden in a very difficult terrain. We found these young victims in appalling conditions,” said RAB Senior Officer Md. Kabir Hossain, who led the operation. “The swift action of our teams has prevented a great tragedy. The four arrested foreign nationals are major players in this cross-border network.”
Authorities confirmed that the four Malaysian nationals are suspected of being key operatives in an international syndicate that targets vulnerable refugees. The raid is being described as one of the largest and most significant anti-trafficking operations in recent months.
Victims in Trauma
The rescued girls and children, many of them visibly traumatized, have been shifted to a secure facility. A Social Services Department spokesperson confirmed that they are under medical care and will receive psychosocial support as part of their rehabilitation process. “Our first priority is their health and safety,” the spokesperson added.
Growing Trafficking Threat
Human trafficking remains a pervasive danger in Rohingya camps, where over one million refugees struggle with restrictions, unemployment, and cuts in international aid. Traffickers often exploit these conditions by luring women and children with false promises of jobs or marriage abroad. Many end up trapped in cycles of abuse, debt bondage, or even disappear without a trace.
The Teknaf raid is being hailed as a significant blow to trafficking syndicates that profit from refugee desperation. For Rohingya families, however, the fear remains that without stronger protections inside the camps, traffickers will continue to find victims.
A Message of Crackdown
Authorities said the raid demonstrates Bangladesh’s determination to combat trafficking in border regions surrounding Cox’s Bazar. The operation, officials noted, sends a strong message that networks exploiting refugees will face relentless pursuit.
Investigations are underway to uncover the wider network and identify possible local collaborators who enabled the traffickers to operate inside Bangladesh.
