Members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy have rescued 39 people, including women and children, who were confined in the remote hills of Baharchhara in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, for trafficking purposes.
Two suspected traffickers were detained during the operation, Coast Guard media officer Lt Commander Siam-ul-Haq told reporters on Friday.
“Based on intelligence information, it was learned that traffickers had confined a group of people, including women and children, in the hilly area near Kachhapia Government Primary School under Baharchhara Union, with plans to traffic them to Malaysia and other southern countries by sea. Acting on this information, Coast Guard and Navy personnel conducted a joint raid early Friday morning and rescued 39 victims—18 women, 12 men, and nine children. Two traffickers were detained during the operation,” he said.
Quoting the victims, Lt Commander Siam-ul-Haq added that traffickers had held them in the hill hideout for an extended period, subjecting them to torture to extort ransom and prepare them for trafficking abroad.
Legal action was underway against the detained traffickers, while the rescued individuals were being processed according to relevant procedures.
The Coast Guard official also said operations will continue to curb human trafficking and other illegal activities. From September 18 to Thursday, the Bangladesh Navy rescued a total of 134 people in separate joint operations.