Enamul Haque Kayes, a physically disabled man from Teknaf, was the sole breadwinner for his family. He worked at a Bonoful shop in Hnila until he went missing about 10 days ago. After searching for him in vain, his family learned that he was among 76 people rescued by the Bangladesh Navy off Saint Martin’s Island.
His family alleges that Kayes was abducted and sold to traffickers who attempted to smuggle him to Malaysia by sea.
His case highlights growing concerns along the Teknaf coast, where trafficking networks are reportedly using abduction, confinement and ransom demands to force victims into dangerous sea journeys.
As calmer seas create favourable conditions for maritime crossings, trafficking networks have become active again. Over the past week, law enforcement agencies have rescued more than 150 people, including Rohingya refugees, and arrested at least 15 suspected brokers.
Kayes’s father, Ahmudul Rahman, said his son was the family’s sole breadwinner.
“My son has a disability, but he was the only person supporting our family financially. We searched everywhere but could not find him. Later, I learnt that he was among those rescued by the Navy,” he said.
Ayat Ullah, a ninth-grade student at Teknaf Government Technical School and College, was also among those rescued. He said his abductors took him to a hill near the Mochoni Rohingya camp, where he was held captive with others.
His captors initially sold him to a broker for Tk30,000. The broker then sold him to another person for Tk1 lakh, he said.
After nearly a month in captivity, Ayat and the others were taken to Kachhapia in Baharchhara and put aboard a trawler off Marine Drive.
“After three days at sea, the boat broke down and water began entering it. We thought we might never make it back alive. Later, the Navy rescued us,” he said.
In another incident, armed men abducted Mostak Ahmed from Hnila union at gunpoint and demanded Tk10 lakh from his family. He was released three days later after his family paid Tk5 lakh following negotiations.
Mohammad Saber, 32, from Kochubania in Sabrang union, said his abductors held and tortured him for three days to force his family to pay a ransom. He was later trafficked to Malaysia via Myanmar and Thailand.
Saber returned to Bangladesh on October 9, 2024, after nearly four years abroad. Injuries sustained during his captivity left lasting damage to his head and eyes, preventing him from working normally.
In recent operations, police rescued 16 people, including Rohingya refugees, from Kachhapia. Border Guard Bangladesh and police also dismantled 20 suspected trafficking hideouts in the hills of Rajarchhara, rescuing 16 people reportedly abducted for trafficking and arresting a suspected broker. The SRB separately rescued five people from Kachhapia.
A M Faruk, assistant director (law and media) of SRB-15, said operations were underway to identify and arrest those involved. He called for greater public awareness and cooperation to combat human trafficking.
Between 2016 and 2025, a total of 3,534 people travelling towards Malaysia were rescued off the Cox’s Bazar coast, most of them Rohingya refugees. A total of 120 cases were filed with Ukhiya and Teknaf police stations over such incidents.
Meanwhile, 330 people were reportedly abducted in Teknaf over the past three years. Locals alleged that victims unable to pay ransom were often sold to trafficking networks.
The dangers extend far beyond captivity. In a joint statement, the UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration said more than 500 people were feared dead after two boats carrying Rohingya refugees sank off Myanmar’s Rakhine State in June. The agencies also reported that around 300 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis had died or gone missing this year while attempting dangerous sea journeys.
Belal Mia, a farmer from Teknaf Sadar, was among those missing after a trawler sank in the Andaman Sea. His pregnant wife, Ayesha Begum, said brokers had forcibly put her husband aboard a boat. She has received no news of him for nearly three months.
Justice delayed
More than 600 human trafficking cases were filed in Cox’s Bazar between 2012 and 2026, according to district police and the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association. Around 480 remain pending, including more than 300 in Ukhiya and Teknaf.
Biswajit Bhowmik, a lawyer with the association, said Cox’s Bazar lacked a dedicated tribunal for human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases, contributing to lengthy trials.
Shariful Islam Hasan, associate director of BRAC’s migration programme, said traffickers were increasingly resorting to abduction alongside deception and false promises of marriage or employment.
Cox’s Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Md Ahidur Rahman said abduction and trafficking were closely linked, with some victims being trafficked when their captors failed to obtain ransom payments. He said law enforcement agencies were continuing raids and intelligence operations to bring those responsible to justice.