18 Rohingyas rescued from human traffickers in Cox’s Bazar

Police have rescued 18 Rohingyas, including women, men, and children, while they were being trafficked to Malaysia through Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.

During the operation, law enforcers arrested a Bangladeshi trafficker, identified as Nezam Uddin alias Mehebub, a resident of Baharchhara Hajam Para in Teknaf.

The rescued Rohingyas were found to be living in various camps and surrounding areas of Ukhiya and Teknaf, said Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Gias Uddin.

He said the rescue operation took place around 8:30pm yesterday at the Kachhapia Marine Drive beach in Baharchhara Union.

"The rescued group includes 11 women, 5 children, and 2 men," he said.

One of the rescued victims, Nurul Alam, 16, said, "I was taken from Kutupalong Camp to Teknaf with the promise of a job in Malaysia but was instead sold to traffickers for Tk 50,000. They tied my hands and feet and kept me confined in a remote hilly area for nine days. Today, just as they were about to put us on a boat to Malaysia, the police arrived and rescued us."

OC Gias Uddin further said, "Upon receiving information that a group of Rohingya women and children were being trafficked to Malaysia via the Kachhapia Marine Drive route, we launched an operation near the coast."

Legal proceedings are currently underway, he added.