Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Thursday night arrested 16 people including one Rohingya, two women and one suspected trafficker in Sahporirdwip Jaliapara area of Teknaf upazila while being trafficked to Malaysia with lucrative job offers through the sea illegally. BGB handed over the arrested 15 people to Teknaf Police Station and the Rohingya was sent back to Myanmar. BGB sources said that acting on secret information, Sahparirdwip BOP led by Subedar Judge Mia conducted a raid at Sahporirdwip Jaliapara area and arrested the 16 people who were about to leave for Malaysia by boats. Most of the victim hailed from Jessore district, said the sources. One of the arrested person said that a few traffickers ensured them to reach Malaysia by boat from Teknaf. If the traffickers can reach them Malaysia then they will take Tk two lakh as they already have paid 20-30,000 to the traffickers, said the victims. Another victim namely Ripa said, her husband live in Malaysia who provided the money to the trafficker to send her Malaysia. BGB commander of 42 battalion in Teknaf, Lt Col Jahid Hasan said “They were supposed to start for Malaysia by boats from the Sahparirdwip point of the border anytime of today-tomorrow.” The arrested were handed over to Teknaf thana. Mohammed Farhad, OC of Teknaf Thana said that a case was filed and the arrested persons were sent to Cox’s Bazar court.
Source: The Independent
