Arakan News Agency
Bangladeshi authorities rescued 66 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, from a human trafficking network that had been holding them in the remote Teknaf Hills of Cox’s Bazar, in a joint operation carried out by the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy, according to security sources.
A Coast Guard spokesperson explained that the traffickers had been using the rugged terrain as a temporary hideout before attempting to transport the victims by sea to Malaysia. He noted that the victims were found in deteriorating conditions, with some showing signs of trauma and neglect.
The operation was conducted late Thursday following intelligence reports of suspicious movements in the border area, which is considered a major hub for trafficking due to its proximity to the Bay of Bengal and its porous routes.
Authorities are now pursuing those involved in the network, while the rescued individuals have been relocated to camps to receive medical care and safe shelter.
Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar face growing risks from widespread trafficking networks, amid dire humanitarian conditions and limited livelihood opportunities that leave them vulnerable to exploitation through false promises of migration or family reunification.
Human rights groups stressed that the incident highlights the urgent need for enhanced regional cooperation to combat human trafficking and protect one of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Bangladesh currently hosts more than one million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar camps, which the United Nations classifies as the largest refugee settlement in the world. The refugees have been living in harsh conditions since fleeing Myanmar in 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a “genocidal campaign” against them. Fresh waves of displacement to Bangladesh have also occurred since renewed fighting broke out in Arakan State between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in November 2023.
