Over 100 Rohingya refugees, who were promised passage to Malaysia, found themselves abandoned on the shores of Inani beach in Cox’s Bazar after being stranded at sea for 10 days. Human traffickers had deceived the refugees, loading them onto a fishing trawler under the guise of providing safe passage to Malaysia for jobs and a better future. However, the group was left in disarray as their hopes for escape turned into a harrowing ordeal.
The trawler, which had been wandering aimlessly in the Bay of Bengal, finally dropped off the refugees early Monday morning at the Inani coast, part of Jaliapalong Union in Ukhiya. Upon disembarking, the refugees scattered into nearby villages. By 9 AM, local residents, in cooperation with law enforcement, assisted in apprehending 26 Rohingya in a police operation across the area. The rest of the group, including the traffickers, reportedly fled into the hills, evading capture.
Officer-in-Charge Rezaul Karim of Inani Police Outpost confirmed the incident, stating that the detained Rohingya are currently being questioned, while efforts continue to track down the traffickers and the remaining refugees. The 26 detainees have been placed in the custody of the Coast Guard.
Witnesses reported seeing the overcrowded trawler come ashore around 4 AM, with 110 to 120 Rohingya men and women disembarking onto the beach. Local residents quickly realized the group comprised Rohingya refugees, misled by traffickers with promises of reaching Malaysia. Many of the refugees fled in panic as the reality of their situation became clear.
Khursida Begum, a 24-year-old Rohingya woman from Camp-17 in Ukhiya’s Moynarghona refugee camp, recounted how she paid a trafficker 30,000 BDT to secure a place on the trawler in hopes of finding work in Malaysia. “The trafficker told me there would be a good job in Malaysia. That’s why I boarded the trawler. We were at sea for 10 days, and early this morning they dropped us off at Inani beach. Now, I realize that attempting this journey was a mistake,” she said after being detained by the authorities.
Another Rohingya refugee explained that all the passengers on the trawler were from camps in Ukhiya. With the ongoing conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state making return impossible, many Rohingya turned to the dangerous sea route as a last resort for escaping their dire circumstances. The trawler had set off from Teknaf, intending to take the refugees to Malaysia. However, after encountering a Myanmar Navy patrol near St. Martin’s Island, the vessel was forced to turn back and remained adrift in deep waters for days.
Local authorities and human rights organizations have expressed concern over the increasing instances of human trafficking in the region. Abdus Shukkur, President of the Cox’s Bazar chapter of Human Rights Defenders Forum, highlighted that traffickers are exploiting the vulnerability of Rohingya refugees, particularly targeting women with false promises of employment or marriage in Malaysia. Traffickers reportedly charge between 20,000 and 30,000 BDT per person to arrange these illegal journeys.
The trafficking of Rohingya refugees by sea has been an ongoing issue, particularly during the months between October and March when the Bay of Bengal remains calm. In the past few weeks, law enforcement agencies have rescued hundreds of Rohingya from similar trafficking attempts. Just last Saturday, the Coast Guard intercepted a trawler carrying 17 Rohingya in Chittagong’s Karnaphuli region, arresting three members of a trafficking gang. The arrested individuals were identified as Fazal Karim, alias Futu Majhi (47), from Maheshkhali, Enamul Karim (37), from Jaliapalong in Ukhiya, and Golam Hossain (40), from Cox’s Bazar Sadar.
The dangerous practice of trafficking refugees by sea has led to numerous tragedies over the years. Since 2016, there have been more than 20 recorded cases of trawlers sinking en route to Malaysia, resulting in the deaths of at least 300 people. Law enforcement reports indicate that between 2016 and 2023, over 1,134 individuals were rescued while attempting to cross the sea to Malaysia, 95% of whom were Rohingya. During this period, 85 cases related to human trafficking were filed in Ukhiya and Teknaf, leading to the arrest of 508 individuals, although over 1,200 were implicated.
As authorities continue their crackdown on human trafficking, the Rohingya community remains vulnerable, with traffickers exploiting their desperation for a better life. With no immediate end in sight to the conflict in Rakhine state, many Rohingya may continue to risk their lives in the hope of escaping the hardships of the refugee camps.
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