by Hafizur Rahman
November 26, 2025
A wooden boat carrying close to four hundred Rohingya refugees who departed the camps in Bangladesh for Malaysia came under fire from the Myanmar Navy on November 21. The vessel had been moving quietly through the Bay of Bengal when navy patrols confronted it. Witnesses said gunfire continued for several moments before around a dozen people were left injured. All passengers were later taken to Sittwe.
Residents near Teknaf in Bangladesh said they saw the group leaving in the early morning hours. One resident said the group looked exhausted and frightened as they walked toward the shoreline. Some carried only small bags. Others carried nothing. He said each person appeared to be driven by a single hope of reaching a safer life elsewhere.
A source familiar with the incident said the refugees had been at sea for roughly one day when the Myanmar Navy found them. The patrol vessel circled the boat before firing warning shots. Some bullets reportedly struck passengers. He said people were screaming as mothers tried to shield their children while the wooden boat rocked in panic.
The navy transported all passengers to Sittwe in Rakhine State soon after the incident. Injured individuals were taken to Sittwe General Hospital for treatment.
In Cox’s Bazar, a Rohingya refugee who heard about the attack said the news added to fears already felt inside the camps. He said daily life in Bangladesh offers no employment, no freedom of movement and no secure future, leaving many residents feeling trapped. He added that the sea route is equally dangerous because human traffickers often deceive families, abandon boats or expose passengers to life threatening conditions.
He said people do not leave the camps because they want to. They leave because remaining feels even more uncertain.
The latest incident has deepened anxiety among Rohingya families both inside Myanmar and in the camps across the border. Many now say they are unsure how much longer their search for safety will continue.
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